Srinagar, July 31: After being cleaned from garbage and other solid waste material three weeks ago, several water bodies in city areas have again started choking as people living in adjoining areas have thrown animal hides and other solid waste material during the auspicious days of Eid-ul-Adha, Rising Kashmir has learnt.
The portion of Northern Foreshore Road (NFR), Nalla Amir Khan, Khoj-e-Yarbal and Pokhribal are the most affected.
The said water bodies were cleaned last month after hectic efforts by Divisional administration, Kashmir, LAWDA, NGOs and local volunteers who pressed its men and machinery day and night. The efforts of the administration and locals were hailed then and people were requested to safeguard these water bodies for the survival of coming generations.
However, the reckless behaviour exhibited by some unknown elements has led these water bodies to a deteriorating position.
“Water bodies like Nalla Amir Khan and others were cleaned a few weeks ago and were looking like tourist spots, however, the dumping of hides of sacrificial animals, their heads, feet and offal besides other solid waste material has disfigured their restored beauty," Assistant Executive Engineer LAWDA, Bilal Ahmad told Rising Kashmir.
He said the fresh downpour in the city has further deteriorated the situation.
The officer said since Eid-ul-Adha, the Department of Lakes & Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) has doubled its men and machinery for collecting solid waste material from these water bodies.
“Besides animal hides, we found heads and feet of sacrificial animals in Nalla Amir Khan, Northern Foreshore Road and other water bodies”, Bilal Ahmad said and added, “Had not LAWDA deployed its men and machinery on time, there were apprehensions the restored water bodies would have been choked again”.
The LAWDA officer added the process of removal of garbage and other waste material was a routine norm in these water bodies however after the auspicious Eid-ul-Adha the LAWDA is pulling out 1.5 to 2.0 tons of solid waste material per day which contains animal hides, heads, feet, offal and other solid waste material.
Besides the extraction of diapers, plastic bottles, polythene etc is a routine norm there, he said.
He added that the extraction work is underway and will take more days to clean the water bodies from animal wastes.
The officer further said the local Auqaf of the said areas were requested by LAWDA to aware the masses of civic duties during sermons and ensure no waste or garbage would be thrown into these water bodies further.
“It is highly unfortunate that people in the respective areas are not sensing their social responsibility. We were hoping this time they will act maturely but the position of these water bodies are apparent to everyone. These are near about to get chocked”, he said.
To a query, the officer said that LAWDA will ensure fencing on right and left sides of AhmadaKadal, Bota Kadal and other concerned bridges to prevent people from throwing waste into water bodies.
“People use these water bodies as litter bins. Whatever the waste generates from their houses they use to throw it from bridges also. We are going to ensure tall fencing of bridges lying over these water bodies in city areas”, he said.
When asked what LAWDA is doing with the waste, later on, he said the extracting waste is being taken by SMC vehicles to dumping sites for disposal purposes.
The Officer appealed to people living in the catchment of Dal, Nigeen, Khushalsar, Gilsar, Khojeyarbal and Pokhribal to desist from polluting these water bodies. “If these water bodies get polluted we will be suffer," he added.