Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 29: The banks of the River Jhelum in north Kashmir’s Baramulla are quickly becoming dumping sites, with the latest being the Floriculture Department’s dumping of waste along the riverbank.
After Eid, the authorities cleaned up the Gulnar Park in Baramulla-which was filled with trash-and disposed of the waste on the bank of the Jhelum River.
Ironically, people are heavily contributing to the problem by littering instead of using dustbins and disposing of waste properly, which in the case of Gulnar Park, left the Floriculture Department with no option but to carry out irresponsible dumping of the waste.
“The waste cleared has been dumped along the Jhelum by the floriculture department, as per the video I saw. It is unfortunate because they should have instead contacted us, and we would have lifted the waste,” said Touseef Raina, Chairman, Municipal Council (MC) Baramulla.
He further added that he would direct his team to clear the riverbank and lift the waste from that spot.
“There has to be a sense of responsibility and ownership among people, in the first place, and the other officials after that, because only then can we keep our surroundings clean,” he said.
Raina also mentioned that MC Baramulla, in collaboration and support with the Government, is planning to set up a Solid Waste Management Treatment plant to manage waste. “We cannot keep dumping waste forever, and there is a need to address this pressing issue,” he said.
Muhammad Shafi Bhat, a trader from Baramulla, said that the town is facing pollution of different natures with every passing day and is becoming a dumping site for several other adjoining areas.
“People dump garbage on the banks of the Jhelum River, and on top of that, the Municipal Council is not working in the manner it should be. We have become the dumping spot for trash from several nearby areas, even our dumping site is on the riverbank,” he said.
He emphasized that people are facing hardships, and there is a need for the authorities to address the issue of garbage and its proper disposal and treatment.
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