At a time when government of India is stressing upon sanitation and scientific waste management, a large portion of garbage coming out of Chadoora and its adjoining areas is being dumped in Doodh Ganga nallah, a major source of drinking water for residential colonies in uptown Srinagar city.
An official conceded that the contaminated water from the nallah is lifted by Public Health Engineering Department (PHE) at its Kralpora water supply scheme and supplied to a large population.
Details available with Greater Kashmir reveal that due to non availability of a scientific landfill site in Chadoora town all the municipal waste is dumped by local municipal committee and shopkeepers in Doogh Ganga in Chadoora town.
The official said for last 10 years when Chadoora town was converted into a municipal committee, the directorate of urban local bodies Kashmir and district administration instead of identifying a scientific landfill site outside the town were dumping all the waste in Doodh Ganga.
The Chadoora sub-division is represented by two senior cabinet ministers Javaid Mustaffa Mir and Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura.
“They seem to be least bothered about scientific solid waste management. From Chadoora to Natipora via Hanjigund, Wathoora, Kralpora, Mochowa and Chanapora tons of garbage and liquid waste finds its way in Doodh Ganga on daily basis. Irony is that people are being supplied drinking water from the same nallah. The authorities are unmoved at this health crisis in making,” said Fayaz Ahmad Rather of Kralpora.
A source said sanitation staff working with Chadoora municipality collect all garbage from various areas of town and dump it in Dood Ganga during night time or early morning.
A doctor at sub district hospital Chadoora said cases of gastrointestinal diseases and liver ailments were on rise in the area owing to supply of contaminated drinking water.
“It is not only Doodh Ganga canal which is being used as a garbage dumping site but other water-bodies like Irrigation canals of Chadoora especially Kralpora Kul at Wathoora is also being used to dump domestic and commercial waste,” said Sajad Ahmad a resident of Zoolwa Chadoora.
Director Local Bodies Manzoor Sofi admitted lack of dumping sites in areas along the Doodh Ganga canal. “We have identified six places for developing dumping sites at a cost of Rs 144.19 crore. We had even floated tenders but there was no response. Now, we are going for retendering and work will taken up on priority,” Sofi said.