Authorities turn Ranbiara rivulet into dumping site
Alternate site identified, says DDC
Shopian: Failing to find an alternate location elsewhere for over four decades now, authorities in south Kashmir’s Shopian district are dumping municipal waste on the banks of Ranbiara rivulet of the district.
The use of the rivulet as a virtual dumping site is posing threat to the rivulet and other nearby water bodies, locals said.
They said that the dumping site is not only contaminating the water bodies but has emerged as a threat on other counts as well.
Besides polluting the water bodies, the foul smell emanating from the waste is causing inconvenience to the locals, they said.
Locals said that the Ranbiara rivulet was major source of potable water and irrigation to hundreds of villages, but the dumping site was posing a major threat to the people’s lives and agriculture as well, they rued.
“The water of famous spring Nagrai and other nearby canals gets polluted due to the dumping of waste, but authorities have failed to shift dumping site despite repeated assurances, Shahid Ahmed, a local told ‘Kashmir Vision’.
The foul smell from the dumping site is even giving a tough time to employees posted at Mini secretariat, Shopian.
They said that they were facing huge inconvenience due to the bad odour requesting authorities to shift the dumping site elsewhere.
Mumtaz Ahmad, a local said that the dumping site was not only a source of bad smell and threat to water bodies, “but the stray dogs also remain present there due to which we are forced to accompany our children for every step”.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Shopian, Dr Owais Ahmad told ‘Kashmir Vision’ that land for an alternate dumping site had been identified in the area.
“Work on new site will commence soon,” Dr Owais added.
Jahangeer Ganaie
