PAMPORE: Officials of Government Degree college Pampore and Civil Society members have been angered for turning world famous saffron fields in the area into dumping sites.
It has come to fore that some unknown persons are throwing huge garbage in Saffron fields of Pampore near government degree college Pampore and Indian International Kashmir Saffron Trade Center (IIKSTC) Dusoo area of Pampore which has caused resentment among concerned citizens.
Talking to Kashmir Reader, Principal of Government Degree College Pampore Dr Professor Seema Naaz said that Saffron fields in Pampore present a picturesque look which is being ridiculed by garbage thrown here.
” Garbage is thrown near the entrance to Degree College Pampore where there are no houses around, I don’t know who are the people throwing this garbage here in the saffron fields,” she said, adding that they cleaned the spot a number of times through NSS volunteers.
” Within days heaps of garbage start piling again,” she said, appealing to authorities to take notice of the issue.
” I request district administration Pulwama, officials of Municipal Committee Pampore and Tehsildar Pampore that this area be notified as no garbage zone,” she said.
She added that heaps of garbage near the entrance to GDC Pampore is leaving a bad impression on students.
She stressed that all members of the community should come forward to curb this bad practice.
Meanwhile Environmental Lawyer Nadeem Qadri blamed lack of solid waste management policy for rural areas for the mess.
“It is shocking to see Mismanagement of Solid Waste in Block Pampore, with special reference to the Rural Areas.
Our saffron land has been converted into garbage dumping sites and no measures have been taken by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj to develop an Action Plan for Scientific Treatment of Solid Waste,” he said, adding that he wants to know why government is not implementing Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and the Hon’ble Division Bench Orders passed in PIL No 5 of 2018, Qadri told Kashmir Reader.
I request the people of the area not to dump their waste in Saffron Fields as it adds to the public nuisance.

BILAL HABIB