Dumping controversy: Two Pulwama youth injured in clashes with police
Pulwama: Two youth were injured in a south Kashmir village on Wednesday after clashes erupted between police and villagers, who resisted dumping of garbage in the neighbourhood.
An eyewitness informed that clashes erupted in Wahibugh village of the south Kashmir district after residents resisted Municipal Committee authorities not to dump garbage there.
A local resident of Wahibugh said that for the last couple of weeks Municipal Committee Pulwama (MCP) had been dumping garbage in the nearby Pohnad area.
He said that the Pohnad area covers half of the horticultural land of the Wahibugh village and garbage collection there was “disastrous for the crop and health conditions of the farmers,”
“Even our children fear taking the said route to school as stray dogs have been roaming in the area after MCP started dumping garbage there,” another local complained.
On Wednesday, soon after a tipper loaded with garbage escorted by a police vehicle reached near the dumping site, scores of people assembled there including women and youth and tried to stop the authorities from dumping garbage there.
An eyewitness said that the police vehicle was pelted with stones and in return police fired tear gas canisters and pellets which resulted in injuries of a youth.
He said that another youth was hit by stone on his head in the clashes.
Both were immediately rushed to district hospital Pulwama.
A hospital official confirmed having received the two youth. He said that both are undergoing treatment.
Executive Officer Municipal Committee Pulwama, Mushtaq Ahmad said that the dumping side at Pohnad was temporary and they were trying to find state land for the purpose.
Jahangeer Ganaie
