Anantnag: Pits for disposal of waste under SBM made on River banks

Sameer Ahmad

Anantnag: Pits for disposal of waste under SBM scheme were made on River/stream Banks in various areas in Anantnag district due to which in coming time it will affect the aquatic life in water bodies, said an official to Arising State.

Official sources told us that a number of pits for disposal of waste under SBM were constructed on the Banks of the rivers and streams in several areas in Anantnag District. The sites were proposed by the revenue department.

Reports reaching to the Arising State revealed that in several areas in Anantnag district, the RDD department has constructed the pits on the banks of rivers and streams due to which the aquatic life will be affected.

In Bonadialgam area which is about three km’s from the main town Anantnag, a pit for disposal of waste were constructed on the bank of the stream, it is very unfortunate that how the department had constructed the pits on the banks of the live stream, it is a violation of water pollution of Act 1974, sources said.

However, official sources said that the identification of sites were provided to RDD department by Revenue Department and the RDD department had only executed the work.

Meanwhile, Talking to Arising State, Deputy Director fisheries Anantnag, Mohd Sideeq Choh said that, “We have also received the information regarding the pits for disposal of waste were constructed on banks of the rivers and streams by RDD department in several areas in Anantnag district.”

He further said: “We have served a letter to Assistant commissioner development RDD department Anantnag and wrote him to avoid the such sites near the streams and rivers.”

A copy of the letter received by Arising state in which they mentioned that “avoiding of sites near or close to streams and rivers of district Anantnag, for the purpose of construction of waste disposal pits under swatch Baharat Mission SBM”.

“This is to intimate you that in the recent past a number of sites have been proposed by the block development officers of some area for construction of pits for disposal of waste under SBM, The instance of which can be cited as the proposed site at pahalgam, Dandipora, Brengi and kh chohar near our trout farming project. In case these waste disposal pits are allowed to be constructed in the areas which are very close to the water source, this will create havoc and will act as a source of contamination of water bodies at a large scale, these pits will not only vitiate the pleasant atmosphere that exists there but will also prove hazardous and destructive to the aquatic ecosystem particularly during rainy season,” Reads letter.

Note: Picture used in story is representational…….