A cleanliness drive that proved to be a mere ‘eyewash’
Pulwama: The ‘cleanliness’ drive initiated on the banks of the famed Ranbiara rivulet after the intervention of the Chief Minister’s grievance cell proved no more than a photo ops opportunity as the garbage dumber on the banks of the river was not shifted at all.
Locals alleged that on ground nothing was done as some garbage that was very near to the flowing water was removed and again heaped nearby on the embankments.
Rashid Hussian, a local resident said that if government is really concerned about this famed water body then they must shift the garbage from this area and prohibit the Municipal Committees to use this place as a dumping site.
“Today the local officials under the pressure from some officials visited the spot and did some makeup works in the grab of cleanliness drive. On ground no change took place as the issue of removing the garbage from the embankments is still unaddressed,” he added.
Pertinently with no dumping site available in Shopian district, the local administration is dumping solid waste on Rambiara embankments.
The Municipal Committee Shopian has been dumping waste over a huge area on the embankments of river Ranbiara and the spring at Nagrai from the last four decades.
“It is matter of shame for the government as they have failed to get or approve an alternative site from the last four decades to dump the garbage generated in the entire Shopian town,” said another local.
Meanwhile, Executive Officer Municipal Committee Shopian, Imtiyaz Ahmad Dar, said that a cleanliness drive was initiated today in which all departments including police participated.
“The garbage which was lying scattered on a large area was assembled and has been kept at one place. For us to manage the garbage is becoming an issue as we have no other alternate site to dump the garbage. Where we will take this garbage as we have no alternate dumping site available,” he told ‘Kashmir Vision’.
However he added that the government is working on a plan to identify and sanction an alternate dumping site at Lethpora Pulwama.
“But it will take at least two years to get the site ready,” he said.
Notably, the Chief Ministers grievance cell on Thursday had sought coordination from the district administration to clear the dumping site that has been created on the banks of the Rainbara.
A letter from the Additional Secretary of the grievance cell read: “Giving credence to the social media reports regarding the large scale dumping of Municipal/domestic garbage on the banks of Rambiara rivulet Shopian which has led to large scale environmental pollution un-aesthetic view, health hazards and as well as choking of several natural springs in the area. Honorable chief minister’s grievance cell Jammu and Kashmir is holding a mega cleanliness drive on 25 November 2017 at Rambiara Shopian.”
Executive Officer Municipal Committee Shopian, Imtiyaz Ahmad has been nominated as nodal officer for the drive who will work in coordination with Tahir Mohi -ud- Din Wani, Under Secretary CM’s grievance Cell.
KV Correspondent
