Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC’s) ‘Clean Srinagar, Green Srinagar’ campaign sounds good. At this week’s public hearing in Srinagar organized by the corporation, some really good ideas have been floated. It is always nice to see politicians and civil servants listening to citizens and understand other perceptions. Good intentions and expressions of intents, however, may not be enough for Srinagar - which desperately needs a facelift today. The city's general looks and the aesthetics have significantly degenerated. Now it is time for remedial action. For a clean and green Srinagar, political intent and administrative efficiency are needed in equal measures. A clean Srinagar cannot happen through garbage management alone. One of the key requirements for cleaner air and better aesthetics is to green the city’s soily and muddy public places, which are at the root of its untidiness and health nuisance. Traditionally, SMC and R&B Department have preferred civil engineering works to low-cost green solutions. For a green Srinagar, SMC and R&B’s Landscape Division, which is in oblivion now, must work in unison. It would make better sense to ask landscape designers to take the charge rather than civil engineers. However, the sustenance of green spaces would require an efficient and accountable system of maintenance by the existing systems. If SMC and R&B Department succeed in that, the Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) will automatically reduce, thereby improving the city’s air quality. For public projects, it must be mandatory for contractors to undertake debris clearance and green restoration. For a cleaner Srinagar, we would also need functional public toilets and penalties for those citizens who damage its green spaces. R&B Department also needs to create a rapid action unit for fixing city potholes with a system of ever ready equipment, staff and resources. If SMC is able to exhibit an ability to produce visible results through this campaign, people may not mind paying some extra municipal fees. What we need desperately now is action and results.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 4 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 4 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 5 May 2012 00:00:00 IST