HAJIN: The continuous dumping of the garbage and sewage along the embankments of river Jhelum in Hajin town of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district is causing immense trouble this summer to locals.
The residents while blaming the municipal authorities and local administration, said that a walk along the river banks once revitalised a person and locals prefered to spend their leisure time in this healthy environment , but now the irresponsible residents and uncaring approach of Municipal committee Hajin have created a mess area.
The women who have to visit the river for daily chores are the worst affected. They said .
A local shopkeeper Abid Zahoor who runs a medical shop in the main market Hajin told Kashmir Reader that locals and some shopkeepers and nearby residents of the area are to be blamed for dumping the garbage and other waste on the embankments which gives foul smell.
To add to the problems, the waste from the local abattoirs, bones and kitchen waste is found dumped on the embankment. And the foul smell coming out of it during this summer has made the life hell for the residents
Added that irony is that Municipal Committee Hajin and its employees never took a cleanliness drive in the area to keep the area clean neither they are cleaning the Jhelum embankments.
Another resident Imran Mohammad said that we fail to understand why municipal committee Hajin fails to keep the town clean ,if it falls within their jurisdiction ,No dustbin has been installed in the main market in which shopkeepers could have used to accumulate the waste.
Foul smell is emanating from the waste which has been made dumping site by the locals and shopkeeper, a lot of waste has been accumulated on the embankments and municipal authorities not bothered to remove or act against the erring shopkeepers or the nearby residents under municipal law .He said
He added aggressive growth of wild bung and other weeds is also not looked at by the municipal authorities who seem least bothered to remove. The local residents have pinned hopes that deputy commissioner Bandipora will look into the matter and pay heed to the requests which are needed and save us from consuming contaminated water.
When contacted by President Municipality committee Hajin Irshad Ahmad, he said they are regularly clearing the garbage on the embankments but unfortunately the erring locals and shopkeepers are putting the waste again and again there. Added that now stringent measures will be taken against offenders and nobody will be allowed to encroach on river banks and said whosoever throw garbage on riverbanks would be dealt seriously .

GOWHAR MAQBOOL