SUHAIL RATHER
Ajas (Bandipora) May 07: The Water bodies that were a source of pure drinking water in this Bandipora village are steadily turning into garbage dumping sites, with local administration facilitating the illegal, immoral and unethical act.
Residents of the Ajas and adjoining areas have turned the Budkul Nallah Ajas into a dust bin as they put all garbage of their households into this Nallah choking not only the Nallah but becoming a major pollutant of Wullar lake.
Locals said during rainy season, this garbage is washed away and goes directly into the Wullar lake while the government till now has not been able to check the illegal practice nor has been able to provide alternative pace for dumping. “To save the Wullar, Government should at least check the inflow of pollutants inside the Wullar which coming from adjoining areas. For admin Wullar has become a dumping yard and slogan of saving Wullar is farce,” said a local Babar Rather.
Ajas residents said during summers foul smells emanate from these water bodies and becomes a toxic mess, threatening the lives of those who need them. Residents who live near and off of these canals found themselves in a disastrous predicament.
A series of water cuts throughout the summer, combined with extreme heat and dryness, resulted in the canals being largely transformed into toxic garbage dumps with little to no water able to pass through. “Even when water returned after lengthy cuts, it was almost completely blocked, and whatever water managed to trickle through is putrid”.
This open dumping of garbage poses threat not only to the humans but also to aquatic life. Once a major source of Fish, Wullar is flatly losing the aquatic life also.
Fed up with the mismanagement of dumping garbage, the locals have appealed the authorities to look into their concern as, according to them, life of thousands humans and animals is on stake. They appealed to install dust bins in their area and devise a proper waste management plan so that the water bodies aren’t polluted.
