| Dooru-Verinag Municipality dumps untreated garbage into river, locals aghast | | “We don’t have a dumping site,” says Executive Officer | | SAAHIL SUHAIL
EARLY TIMES REPORT
ANANTNAG, Aug 23: In brazen violation of Environmental Protection Act and Solid Waste Management Rule, 2016, the Dooru-Verinag Municipal Committee continues to dump the untreated solid waste in precious nallah Sandran at multiple locations.
According to reports, the municipality isn’t only putting the threatening the existence of aquatic life but is causing extensive damage to the environment by resorting to unplanned and unscientific disposal of waste material into river, however the Housing and Urban Development Department, Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Board and Anantnag District administration in particular has failed to take the note of it.
On Sunday, a video showing tractors loaded with solid waste and same being dumped in the middle of Nallah Sandran went viral on social media sites. The twin towns, according to municipality officials produce 18 metric tons of garbage each day, however, there is no identified place for dumping it.
The internet users strongly criticized the municipality officers and demanded registration of an FIR against them for brazenly damaging the environment.
Locals told Early Times that Dooru-Verinag municipality was dumping waste in the river at two locations.
“In Dooru, the municipality workers on the directions of officers are dumping the waste in the river near Modern Hospital and in Verinag they (municipality workers) are dumping the untreated waste into the river near Panzoo-Verinag Bridge,” they said.
Locals said that the untreated heaps of garbage were attracting stray dogs and also could be a reason for spreading diseases.
“Dumping of untreated garbage into river bodies is ultimately affecting the health of local residents, flora and fauna and morphology of the river and all this is happening in violation of the directions of the National Green Tribunal and provisions of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016”, an officer said.
Chief Executive Officer, Municipal Committee Dooru-Verinag admitted that they were dumping the waste in the river.
“We were dumping it there but now we have cleared it,” the Executive Officer said.
The officer admitted that the municipality doesn’t have an identified dumping site where they can dump the waste.
Municipal Committee President Dooru-Verinag also said that they don’t have a dumping site.
“Prior to me the municipality was dumping the waste on roadside and in nallahs but I got cleared,” claimed President MC Dooru Mohd Iqbal Ahangar.
He said that the municipality wasn’t carrying out the segregation of waste at source and neither has machinery for treating the waste. “We don’t have machinery for treating the waste,” he added.
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