A 13-member delegation led by director tourism in the Jammu and Kashmir government is on a 3-day visit to Kerala to understand and learn how waste generated by houseboats in the backwaters of the southern state is efficiently managed.
The delegation headed by Nisar Ahmad Wani comprisesvice-chairman Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) Sajad Hussainand chairman Kashmir Houseboat Owners Association, Abdul Hamid Wangnoo, besidesothers.
They will study the waste management model of Kerala’sbackwater houseboats.
At the same time, Pune Municipal Corporation, the civic bodyof Pune along with an NGO Sarhad from the city is also keen to help the houseboatsin Dal Lake to set-up an efficient drainage system.
Speaking with Greater Kashmir from Kerala, Wani said thevisit to the southern Indian city of Kochi came about after agovernment-appointed expert committee suggested it.
“One of the members ofthis expert committee, a bureaucrat had served in Kerala and it was herrecommendation that we visit this state. Our visit to Kochi backwaters to studyhow waste generated from houseboats is managed scientifically will help usunderstand their waste management model,” Wani said.
“We want to see howthese Kerala houseboats are operating in an environmentally friendly way andmanaging waste efficiently,” Wangnoo told Greater Kashmir.
Kerala is known for its backwaters, a network of canalssimilar to Dal and Nigeen Lakes that house over 800 houseboats.
Wangoo said houseboats in Kerala are movable “unlike ourhouseboats which are moored to one place only”.
Apart from the southern state, Pune known as culturalcapital of Maharashtra has also been pitching in to offer help for efficientsanitation of houseboats in the Dal.
Pune-based NGO Sarhad, along with the civic body of the cityis hopeful that a Memorandum of Understanding signed between PMC and SrinagarMunicipal Corporation in 2010 is revived.
Sanjay Nahar, president of Sarhad says one of the importantfocus areas of the MoU was a project aimed to improve drainage system ofhouseboats in Dal lake.
“PMC is known to beone of the best to deal with sanitation and drainage. We have taken the proposalof reviving the MoU with Pune Mayor and PMC Commissioner who are also veryoptimistic that our engineers can be of some help for sanitation of Dal Lake,”said Nahar.