ZT News Network
Srinagar: J&K RTI Foundation and Save River Ferozpora Movement have demanded immediate ban on dumping of garbage in Ferozpora river in Kashmir.
In a statement received by Ziraat Times, RTI Foundation has said that “Municipal Committee Magam’s Tractors and JCB were seen throwing garbage into the river Ferozpora near DSP Office Magam by our field activists at around 10pm in the night between 31st of August and 1st of September 2020. Our activists from Magam have recorded videos and taken photographs of Tractor and JCB while unloading garbage into the river Ferozpora.”
“It is a matter of importance for us to raise our voice against the illegal and irresponsible acts of local authorities. One of our activists was recently filed an FIR in a similar issue by the EO Municipal Committee Chadoora, which is shameful for whole department”, Engineer Irfan, founder of J&K RTI Foundation said.
“For years, the Municipal Committee Magam was using bank of river Ferozpora as a dumping site, but in 2017 we took an initiative which turned into Save River Ferozpora Movement and the dumping site was sealed since March 2020. The Executive Officer Municipal Committee Magam admitted same in a complaint’s hearing at Central Information Commission New Delhi. But unfortunately nobody knew where they have dumping the garbage of Magam Town till yester night when we caught them live! Even if they had shut the lights of JCB and Tractor but both vehicles belonged to Municipality which could identify the culprits itself”, the statement further added.
“Our organization has been repeatedly writing and appealing the District Administration Budgam to stop the offence being committed by Municipal Committee Magam. Over a dozen villages who are without drinking water supply are dependent upon this river body and have been complaining derma problems since the garbage dumping in the river began. In addition to the Municipal Committee Magam, residents of Magam who are polluting this river through the household sewages and gutters should also be held accountable”, RTI Foundation further said.
Local authorities must stop the officials carrying out these offences and the persons involved in dumping garbage into river Ferozpora last night must be booked under law, RTI Foundation has demanded.