news details |
|
|
| Save Jhelum drive', a rhetorical exercise: Experts | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
SRINAGAR, Oct 17: As huge garbage flushes into Jhelum every day, environmentalists dismiss as ''hogwash'' assertions made by state government and civic agencies about their efforts to beautify the Jhelum. The tall claims of beautifying Jhelum falls flat as tones of litter is discharged in the river every day.
According to environmentalists, on an average 300 metric tons of garbage is produced in the city per day and major portion of this litter is flushed in the Jhelum directly thus already polluted river is being degraded further.
The ambitious Jhelum beautification plan was launched by then Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed in 2005 with an estimated cost of Rs 25.55 crore.
According to the beautification plan, exquisite parquets, pastime resorts and other recreational facilities were to be established on the either side of the river. Government assured that the project will be completed within two years.
"The river is facing relentless encroachment and severe pollution due to inflow of huge amounts of sewage from the habitations on its banks. It seems that the much hyped beautification plan stands nowhere. All that the government has done so far is completion of first phase of this project,'' said Dr Najeeb Qazi, environmentalist
Adding further Najeeb maintained that even after four years, since the inception of beautification drive project in 2005, the river could not get any facelift. Instead, every day huge chunk of garbage is being dumped in to river due to negligence of SMC (Srinagar Municipal Corporation).
Although State government claimed that all illegal habitations along its bank will be removed by the end of 2007, however, it seems project has been shelved half a way as first phase of the beautification drive is yet to complete.
Expressing resentment over the slow pace of work in beautification of Jhelum, the High court in 2006 directed the Irrigation and Flood control department and Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) to remove all structures constructed on the river banks.
Initially, as a part of beautification drive, major encroachment from Sonawar to Budshah Bridge had been removed and the displaced, according to officials, engaged with Jhelum beautification project, were compensated and rehabilitated.
Officials in the flood department claim that around 500 illegal habitations from Sonwar to Budshah Bridge have been demolished and 400 displaced families have been rehabilitated. They further maintained that the cash compensation of Rs 45,000, besides a plot of land at Bemina or Noorbagh has been allotted to each of these displaced families. The department had also demolished chain of shops near erstwhile Grind lays Bank. Out of 478 illegal structures from Armwari to Dhobi Ghat more than 300 have been removed so far. After this initial demolition drive, nothing substantial has been done so far.
It seems government is in no mood to increase the pace of work and purge the banks of Jhelum of numerous illegal and ugly structures. Given this scenario, restoration of the aquatic glory of river Jhelum has become pipedream. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
