The Contractor companies engaged by Northern Railway and National Highway Authority of India in Ramban district for developing railway track and Srinagar-Jammu highway are openly flouting norms with impunity by dumping chemical pollutants in river streams and rivulets, locals have alleged.
They said the Pollution Control Board (PCB) which is nodal agency to ensure implementation of environment norms has turned a blind eye to the dangerous violations for the reasons best known to them.
People alleged that Bislari Nullah River Chenab and other rivulets fallowing in Tehisl Khari Ramban Banihal once called life lines of Ramban district are dying fast because of constant flow of toxic based coming from execution sites tunnels without any check.
People of Sumber alleged that a rivulet flowing in close vicinity of village Jawari stone crusher has been installed without obtaining necessary permission and inviting objections if any from locals by the Contractor Company. “The stone crusher has become a cause of concern as standing crops are in constant danger due to flying of dust particles from the crusher. Rivulet which was used traditionally for agriculture and domestic use has almost dried up and the soil is growing infertile. Animals are dying due constant intake of polluted water,” complained people of village Sumber.
Social activists alleged that there is no provision to treat this water the polluted water flows directly into the river and rivulets. ” We have apprised the authorities about this problem on many occasions but to no avail. The Contractor Companies do not follow the laid norms and discharge untreated pollutants waste into water bodies,” they alleged.