Concerned officers directed to take action: Div Com
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, May 16: The cleaning process of Khushal Sar on the east of it towards the Zadibal side has been hampered by the people with vested interests who have allegedly threatened and abused the volunteers carrying out the cleaning work asking them to stop the same immediately or face consequences.
Earlier, the cleaning drive from the Zadibal side was started by the Nigeen Lake Conservation Organization (NLCO) headed by Manzoor Ahmad Wangoo on Saturday under its Mission Ehsaas after carrying out the second phase of cleaning of Khushal Sar near Gil Kadal, bringing the water body back to its old glory.
However, the unwarranted and undue objections from one of the families from the eastern side of the Khushal Sar-which has allegedly been involved in the land grabbing-has now hampered the overall process of cleaning, compelling the NLCO to shift to the other side of the water body.
“We started the work on Saturday and the men and machinery were deployed to the eastern side, however, the next day, one of the families living there objected to it and started abusing the volunteers, and even threatened them, asking them to stop the work,” Wangnoo said, adding that the cleaning process is on from another side now.
He said that the cleaning work on the eastern side of the lake under mission Ehsaas Phase-2 was resumed a few days back and saw a great response from the residents.
“However, since yesterday one particular family, Firdous Ahmad Dar s/o Late Gh Mohd Dar of Zadibal and his son Abbas Ahmad, for their personal reasons and gains has been threatening our volunteers of dire consequences if we continue our mission of restoration of this water body,” he said.
He added that they have been giving life threats to the machine operator besides hurling abuses and creating unnecessary nuisance and hindrance. “Amid such a scenario we can’t continue our work for the greater good. We hope that these unscrupulous elements will be taken to task.”
Those associated with the work said that they have not stopped the work, but the machine has been shifted to the other side, “because we are spending money on daily basis and cannot afford to stop the same due to the objections of one of the individuals who has been filling the water body behind the bushes,” they said.
Pertinent to mention here that the work carried out by the NLCO has been even praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well LG Manoj Sinha terming the initiative as a vital step in public participation in the cleaning and rejuvenation of water bodies in Srinagar.
Wangnoo, however, said that such hurdles derail the process of cleaning the water body with the eastern side being important for the rejuvenation of the Khushal Sar which has not been cleaned for years altogether.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir Pandurang K. Pole told Excelsior that the officers of the police and Revenue department have been directed to take care of the issue. “The concerned officers have been directed to visit the spot and take care of the issue; nobody will be allowed to hamper the work or carry out the landfilling,” he said.
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