KNB News Desk
Srinagar 24 August (KNB): Residents living around the Nallah Amir Khan, falling in Srinagar’s Nowshera area, on Tuesday demanded expediting work on the channel’s stuck garbage, which has been stinking for a long time.
The residents said that the Nallah Ameer Khan has become an eyesore due to garbage coming from other areas, resulting in an accumulation at its floodgate. They alleged that the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) has been commissioning some men with a few boats to clean the channel, but it is not enough to do away with the problem.
“We are not able to walk by Nallah in the wake of its stinking. It has been our major problem which we have been looking to get redressed, but the LAWDA is not doing more than it should have to alleviate our miseries. During the day, a few men with boats are being deployed to remove the garbage, which is not enough, given the magnitude of the problem. Our constant requests are being taken barely with any seriousness,” said Mohalla President Abdul Rasheed.
He also said they could not pray in a mosque, falling near Nallah, because of the strong foul smell emitting from the water. “We had told the LAWDA officers several times that if they would put up a temporary floodgate or some mesh to contain the garbage at another place instead of the current one, which would have been convenient for them to load the garbage in the vehicles from there. They (LAWDA) had agreed on our suggestion, but now they are falling back on their promises,” said Rasheed.
Other residents said they had also been waiting for the fencing of bridges over the Nallah to prevent anyone from throwing garbage into the Nallah, but that is yet to materialize.
However, they further said they have been waiting for a long time to get rid of the problem and sought the intervention of the authorities into the matter.
On contacting VC LAWDA Dr Bashir Ahmad Bhat regarding the issue, he said that a trash gate would be constructed and for which a tender has been issued. ”The place for the trash gate has been identified, and a proper ramp would also be built to facilitate machines in removing the garbage,” said Bhat.
Bhat further said that it would take a little time, and things are in the final stage. “Once the installation of the trash bin is completed, it would end the issue permanently,” he assured.
”Until the trash gate is built, the number of men working on removing the garbage from Nallah Amir Khan would be scaled up,” Bhat said in reply to a question. (KNB)