Pulwama, May 06 (KNO): Almost all the water bodies in Tral Sub division of South Kashmir's Pulwama district have turned into the dumping sites while the authorities are unmoved, thereby leaving the locals especially the farmers to lurch at large.
Locals from the different areas of Tral informed the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the water bodies have been dying due to uncivilized behaviour of the public and inaction of the authorities.
They said that these water bodies have been encroached since long besides that all dirt is being thrown into these water bodies putting their existence in dark
Basharat Ahmad, a social activist from Tral said that water canals passing through the villages have turned into dumping sites as heaps of polythene, plastic bottles and other dirt can be seen piled up.
He said that no measures are being taken in this regard to preserve the water bodies.
Junaid Ahmad, another local resident said non priority works are being taken up by the government while water bodies on which we are fully dependent are being neglected.
He said that these water bodies are shrinking with each passing day and there is immediate need of a restoration of these water bodies.
Locals claimed that they had informed concerned authorities several times but they failed to do anything substantial in this regard.
The heaps of garbage and stagnant water pose a threat of communicable disease, said Javid Ahmad, another resident.
Farmers said that paddy sapling plantation season is about to start but these water bodies on which we depend for irrigation purposes haven't been cleaned yet.
They said that these water bodies must be cleaned before the season so that farmers won't face any problems.
They requested higher ups to look into the matter at an earliest and take immediate steps in this regard.
Meanwhile, an official of Irrigation and Flood Control told KNO that de-slitting and cleaning of water bodies has been handed over to RDD department now and they will take up the process.
He assured that water bodies will be cleaned well before the season so that they won't face any problems—(KNO)