news details |
|
|
| Preservation of Wullar and Mansar lakes | | Come out from ‘Kashmir centric cocoon’: Pathania asks Coalition | |
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Feb 3: The announcement of Union Government for approving Rs 350 crore for Wullar Lake has received criticism with Jammu based leaders describing it as glaring example of discrimination against Jammu region.
In a press statement issued here, R S Pathania, a Youth leader from Ramnagar assembly constituency, termed the announcement of Union Minister of State for Forest and Environment, Jairam Ramesh as “dejection” and “disappointment” not only for the people of Mansar and Ramnagar assembly segment but every right thinking person.
He questioned the justification and rationale behind announcing a paltry amount of Rs 3 crores for Mansar while doling out Rs 350 crores for Wullar Lake. Citing it as glaring case of regional discrimination, Pathania asked the government to come out from its “Kashmir-centric cocoon” and rise above politics of regional bias.
Calling upon the government to take a cue from the popular Maharaja, he said it was during his secular rule that construction activity had been banned around Dal Lake and policemen were barred from walking in Zabharwan forests with hard shoes.
He lamented that if the way things are going on in and around Mansar are allowed to go unabatedly, it is likely to dry out in the times to come. Despite repeated protest demonstrations by local people and Mansar Bachao Andolan seeking stoppage of lifting of drinking water from Mansar, 5000 gallons of water is pumped out daily with a view to meeting the drinking water demands of the people of Samba and Majalta tehsils.
“It had been now more than four-five years back that locals of the area had risen in protest and thrown out all water-pumping pipes from the lake and the local administration had restored the water-supply network only after seeking an agreement with the agitating people that within a reasonable period of time they would locate alternative water-sources and shunt off the water-supply system there from in order to relieve the already-shrinking lake,” Pathania asserted.
He regretted that the administration has failed to take desired steps in this regard. “Water in the lake has receded by about 30 feet and many aquatic species and fish varieties have vanished from the lake heralding an alarming situation. And the work and conduct of Mansar Development Authority has also been less than satisfactory,” he alleged.
He called upon local people to gear up for a mass agitation with a view to conserve and save the lake from further destruction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
