Srinagar, May 27: As the National Green Tribunal (NGT) takes unscientific waste management and illegal Riverbed Mining in the Doodh Ganga stream seriously, the government has launched a mega sanitation drive around Doodh Ganga on the direction of the Principal Secretary of the Housing & Urban Development Department (HUDD). On Thursday, Commissioner of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Athar Aamir Khan, DC Budgam, Akshay Labroo, and Chief Engineer of UEED Kashmir, Naseer Ahmad Kakroo, personally visited several areas around Doodh Ganga and directed the authorities to clear all the legacy waste lying around the stream.
The officers, along with senior officials of SMC, UEED, the Flood Control Department, and District Officers from Budgam, visited Chanapora Bridge pump station, Bagh e Mehtab, and Kralpora areas to assess the condition of the stream.
At Kralpora, the SMC Commissioner directed his Chief Sanitation Officer, N.A. Baba, to send sanitation workers from SMC to clear the waste.
“On Friday, around 70 to 80 sanitation workers led by Zonal Sanitation Officer Bashir Ahmad Lone and other officers visited Kralpora and cleared the waste around the old bridge and banks of Doodh Ganga. Almost 70% of the waste was cleared, but more needs to be done. We are grateful to the SMC Commissioner and DC Budgam for visiting our area. We are also thankful to NGT for its intervention, especially,” said Raashed Ashraf, a local social worker from Kralpora, which is located a mere 8 km from the city center.
According to reports, the Director of Urban Local Bodies Kashmir (DULB-K), Muthara Masoom, also visited the site on Friday, around Sogam, Chadoora town, Hanjigund, Wathoora, and Goplapora. She directed the Municipal Council of Chadoora to clear all the legacy waste around Doodh Ganga and the localities she visited.
Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat, a social activist and petitioner in the NGT, has appreciated the efforts of the SMC Commissioner, DC Budgam, Director of ULB Kashmir, and Chief Engineer of UEED. He said this activity must continue.
“I appreciate that the government has finally acted. I am grateful to our two young IAS officers, Athar Amir Khan and Akshay Labroo, especially for visiting the Doodh Ganga a few days back. I am also thankful to Muthara Masoom, Director of ULB K, and Chief Engineer of UEED Kashmir. I hope SMC will continue to take care of Kralpora and Mochwa areas in the future, and waste collection vehicles should be directed to clear waste from these areas. I have requested the Director of ULB Kashmir to instruct MC Chadoora to collect waste from Hanjigund, Batpora, Wathoora, and Gopalpora on a regular basis. I am happy to see that my petition in NGT is showing some good results on the ground. Much more needs to be done regarding liquid waste management and controlling illegal Riverbed Mining as well,” said Dr. Raja Muzaffar.
The NGT recently stated in its order dated May 24th that the authorities had not shown any progress on the ground level regarding controlling pollution in the Doodh Ganga stream. After that, the government took action. The matter is listed for for hearing on Monday May 29th 2023.
