Locals urge Govt to take action
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Mar 20: Farmers, commuters and local residents near the under-construction Srinagar Ring Road today demanded action against the construction company for failing to provide proper drainage, especially around underpasses and bridges.
A delegation of locals from Kuzwera, Wathoora, Batpora, Dharmuma, Gutpora, Nasrallahpora, Garend, Narbal in Budgam highlighted severe dust pollution in areas along the Ring Road from Pampore to Narbal during dry and sunny weather.
They also complained that rainfall causes waterlogging, severely impacting agricultural land and orchards.
The most affected villages include Kuzwera, Bugam, Wathoora, Batpora, Lalgam and Gudsathoo.
Residents have urged the Deputy Chief Minister, who also oversees the PWD (R&B) Department, to take action against the construction company, NKC Projects Pvt Ltd.
Notably, the Srinagar Ring Road project has raised significant concerns among local villagers, farmers and environmental activists.
The project involves large-scale earth filling using clay excavated from Karewas.
“The clay emits massive dust, damaging apple and plum orchards in Wathoora, Batpora, Gudsathoo, Panzan, and other villages,” said Advocate Badrul Duja, a noted environmental lawyer.
He added that the project has choked natural drainage systems, leading to waterlogging that has affected farmers over the past two years.
With no action from the local administration, some farmers approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which directed the J&K Pollution Control Committee to submit a report.
“These reports clearly show that Wathoora suffers from severe air pollution due to dust, while breaches in irrigation channels caused massive waterlogging last April,” he noted.
Meanwhile, persistent waterlogging at underpasses in Kuzwera, Wathoora, Batpora, Wathoora-Bugam, and Panzan-Gudsathoo continues to trouble commuters, with no action taken against the construction company.
“We have appealed to the Deputy Chief Minister, who also oversees PWD (R&B), to take stern action against the company,” locals said.
They further alleged that the construction company is working recklessly and is involved in illegal riverbed mining.
“My apple orchard remained submerged for two months last April, and despite repeated complaints to NHAI, I received no relief,” said Ghulam Nabi Bhat, an aggrieved farmer.
“The orchard is almost destroyed, and my entire investment is gone.”
Residents also reported that the underpass near Wathoora-Batpora gets waterlogged during rains, while dry weather results in severe dust pollution, affecting both orchards and the local population.
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