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| | Hoteliers, authorities poisoning crystal waters of Lidder | | | ANANTNAG, July 8: The Lidder rivulet known world over for its crystal clear water continues to be under severe threat from the sewage produced by the hotels situated at its banks in the world famous tourist spot of Pahalgam.
The Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) and Municipal Committee Pahalgam (MCP) meant for the development, maintenance and cleanliness of the tourist spot is further polluting the the water body by dumping the waste at the banks of Tulyan canal. The canal finally connects with the Lidder near Sarbal.
All the solid and liquid waste from the bathrooms and kitchens of the A-class hotels reaches into the rivulet, polluting it. The unabated pollution of the water body is not only the concern of locals but the tourists too express their concern over the same.
“I have travelled to almost all the states of India but for the first time have seen such clear murmuring water flowing beautifully. But seeing the sewage from the hotels directly going into the beautiful water body pains me badly,” said Vinod, a tourist from Bangalore pointing towards a sewage channel laid by a holier from his hotel to the rivulet.
After looking for minutes on the sewage channel he asked, “Why don’t common masses, environmentalists and the local authorities do anything to save this terribly beautiful water body?”
Besides this, the authorities meant for the maintenance of the tourist spot, according to locals, are adding to the pollution level of the river. “The municipal committee meant for cleanliness of the spot collects tons of garbage and filth from the town and dumps the same at the banks of Tulyan canal near Sarbal. The same during the slight rains finally gets washed away into the Lidder as the Tulyan canal just at a little distance from the dumping site connects with the Lidder rivulet,” said a local social activist.
He said the authorities instead of taking the measures for saving the water body poisoning its water which is used by lakhs of people for drinking purposes. The activist added that both the PDA and MCP seem to be least bothered about the pollution of the river. “The PDA, years ago, directed the local hoteliers to construct sewage treatment plants but none of them have any heed to the directive and the PDA also failed to check whether its directive was implemented or not,” said the activist, adding that the PDA’s own project to construct the modern sewage treatment plant (STP) in the town also seems to be on papers only.
Concerned over the pollution of the river, another local said that the MCP is earning at least Rs one crore out of the toll post at Nunwan every year but does not bother to purchase the land for garbage dumping where there could have been on damage to the environs or the river.
When contacted, chief executive officer, PDA, Mir Altaf Ahmad, said that STP for the scientific disposal of the sewage is under construction in Pahalgam. “Work on the modern STP in the town is going on. Once the project gets completed there will be no pollution,” CEO said. |
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