Srinagar, June 30: Local volunteers from villages in Baramulla outskirts have joined hands for cleanliness drive of the Shranzfall- a tourist spot in this north Kashmir district.
Shranzfall is the main source of drinking water to the people of Kreeri belt besides the population living around Nigli Nala and Kandi area of Baramulla District.
The famous waterfall has the potential of producing Hydroelectricity and can be declared as a tourist destination provided the government prepares a roadmap for its development.
Surrounded by the green cover, Shranzfall remains a main attraction for the visitors visiting Tangmarg and Gulmarg area of Baramulla district.
On Sunday, local volunteers from adjacent villages of Shranzfall conducted a daylong cleanliness drive in order to create awareness among the visitors to keep the tourist destination neat and clean in order to preserve its pristine glory.
The cleanliness drive was jointly held by around 40 people including the teachers, students and an official from district administration Baramulla.
The first cleanliness drive of Shranzfall area was conducted by four local youths of the adjacent area which inspired the youth of the other villages to hold cleanliness drives, a routine exercise to keep the area pollution free.
“Such drives are a wonderful opportunity for people’s participation and they are major avenues to raise awareness on the importance of cleanliness in our environment,” said Umar Rashid Bhat, a teacher who was one of the participants of the cleanliness drive.
For people residing in and around Baramulla, visiting a nearby waterfall of Shranz is one of the best weekend getaways.
“Every time I visit this waterfall, I feel bad because 99 percent of the visitors leave behind a pile of garbage and do not show any interest in cleaning the area,” Bhat said.
With a slogan “take your trash back” the volunteer motivated the visitors to pack their trash while leaving the destination and dispose-off it at some suitable places.
“This was the opportunity to raise awareness among the visitors to keep our surroundings clean and this drive helped a lot so far to generate a civic sense among the masses,” Umar Bhat said.
Another volunteer said the cleanliness drive was conducted to create awareness among the masses that they should care for the cleanliness of the place.
“This cleanliness cum awareness drive is going to make some difference and being a responsible citizen we find it our moral duty to have such drives,” said Mehraj Sufi, a teacher who participated in the cleanliness drive.