20 trucks of trash lifted per day; locals pledge care
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Apr 9: With a sustained cleaning drive of the Khushal Sar in Srinagar for the last more than a month now, the Lake has finally started breathing all over again with around 20 trucks of waste, that has been choking the lake for the last several years, lifted per day.
The cleaning drive was started more than a month ago by the Nigeen Lake Conservation Organization (NLCO) in support of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and LAWDA which provided the required machinery to the workers.
Initially, the volunteers were roped in for the job of cleaning and later further manpower was involved to carry out the process in a robust possible way.
Manzoor Ahmad Wangnoo, who is heading the NLCO told Excelsior that there is a total difference in what the Lake was earlier and the picture it presents now and attributed it all to the workers who worked day and night and the help of the concerned departments.
“While the lake has been cleaned due to the sustained efforts by the men who were involved in the cleaning process as well as the SMC and LAWDA who provided the trucks and machinery for cleaning the Lake, the campaign has led to the awareness in the public, and it a major takeaway from the campaign that was launched,” he said.
As per details, per day around 20-25 trucks of muck, which included mud, plastic bottles and polythene has been fished out from the lake for more than 30 days now.
He said that under ‘Mission Ehsas’ the public, especially, those who are living in the vicinity of the Lake has been made aware and they have taken a pledge that they will take care of the Lake in future.
While the process of cleaning the Lake is still on, those involved in it said that there is a need for the demarcation of the Lake on a war-footing basis so that further encroachment of the Lake is prevented.
“While the landfilling is going on as of now, there is a need for demarcating it by constructing a footpath around it in the form of a footpath to stop further landfilling and encroachments,” they said.
Manzoor said that after the cleaning, there is a need for dredging of the Lake apart from constant cleaning of the Khushal Sar and other adjoining water bodies.
He said that the authorities have decided to deploy a small cleaning machine at the Nallah Amir Khan and if remains there, it will help in getting the Khushal Sar and Gil Sar to their glory.
The locals of the area have expressed their gratitude to the NLCO as well as the Divisional Administration who, they said, have seriously pursued the work of cleaning the Khushal Sar.
“It appears that the pristine glory of the Lake has finally been restored and its condition is drastically different to what it was just a month ago,” the locals said.
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