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| Poisoning eco-sensitive zones a new norm in JK, thanks to ‘Babu Raj’ | | | 
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 9: Walking past the lush green meadows, emerald streams and majestic mountains of Kashmir’s famous tourist spot called Pahalgam, one is astonished to find the way in which the present dispensation led by the arrogant babus is out there to destroy the serene beauty with absolute impunity.
The macadamisation of the roads near Betaab Valley in Pahalgam presents a best picture of how the babus are out there to demolish the environs and turn the beautiful Valley of meadows into a dust and smoke inundated pocket. The macadam is being heated by using charcoal and fire words in the middle of the roads, leaving the entire area into a bundle of smoke, emitting poisonous gases, exposing both locals as well as the tourists to severe health risks.
When asked about the reason for such unnatural means to macadamize the roads in eco- sensitive zones, one is astonished to know that the poor labourers and officials working on the site have got orders from above. “This is very very unfortunate that such a method is being adopted in developing the roads. The officers should at least have the sense to save peoples’ lives and ensure that the environs of this place aren’t harmed in any manner,” said a tourist from Mumbai, who was visiting Pahalgam’s Betab Valley. He added that such a scenario is only reflecting that the government is doing little to ensure that such a beautiful place is safeguarded from poisonous chemicals and smoke.
As per the laid down procedure no incineration or burning of wastes shall be carried out by the contractor. Separate bins shall be provided for biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes. The disposal of kitchen waste and other biodegradable matter shall be carried out in pits covered with a layer of earth within the camp site. Discarded plastic bags, paper and paper products, bottles, packaging material, gunny bags, hessian, metal containers, strips and scraps of metal, PVC pipe scrubber and polyurethane foam, automobile spares, tubes, tires, belts, filters, waste oil, drums and other such materials shall be either reused or sold /given out for recycling. However, there has been little effort being put by the officers of the Public Works Department in ensuring that such guidelines are adhered to. They are simply being trashed and thrown into the dustbin.
“I haven’t seen such a careless attitude being adopted anywhere. There are methods through which you can increase the temperature of the Bituminous mix but burning the tarcoal in the middle of the road that too in such an environmentally fragile zone is lethal for the biodiversity. This reflects the erratic and a very questionable functioning of the department concerned,” said, another tourist from New Delhi.
Meanwhile, repeated attempts to contact the concerned PWD officials for the comments over the issue in question didn’t fructify. |
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