Contractor violates dredging norms

Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 17: In an unusual development, on contractor responsible for the dredging activities in the Veerwan area near the Jhelum River in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district, has been found to be violating the environmental norms.
An official revealed that the contractor is not adhering to the regulations. He said they are conducting on-site screening and it was found that he only extracts fine sand, leaving other materials in the river. He said that the practice is disrupting the river’s natural morphology, causing significant disturbances to water flow and leading to increased water pollution.
The locals said that the use of heavy vehicles inside the riverbed has inflicted damage, which poses a potential threat to aquatic life. “The introduction of heavy vehicles into the river has not only disrupted the natural flow of the water, with its immense humps causing a disturbance, but it has also affected the water quality. This detrimental action has dealt a severe blow to the riverbed, posing a threat to the aquatic life it sustains, ” a local said.