STATE TIMES NEWS
BHADARWAH: Despite a prevailing ban on plastic bags in J and K State, unending dumping and burning of polythene and plastic material in and around of district Doda’s Bhadarwah area has become a serious threat posed to the environment and agriculture of this beautiful Valley.
Many environmentalists and individuals from the general public in the picturesque Valley are a worried lot. Burning and dumping of polythene or plastic bags in the open at various localities of the town and its peripheral areas despite ban is polluting the environment.
According to reports, being a hilly town, one can find a lot of plastic dumps in paddy fields and across different localities.Besides, plastic waste can be seen lying around municipal dustbins and it is being burnt in forests and paddy fields where large amounts of garbage gets dumped, all at the cost of the environment.
Local people, especially those associated with agriculture and tourism, are worried lot with the situation and demanded a stern and quick action from the municipal authorities and local administration to check this menace.
A social worker from Qilla Mohallah, Nasir K Shah said that pollution is spreading because administration is not serious and till now failed completely to implement, Jammu and Kashmir State Non-Biodegradable Material (Management Handling and Disposal) Act, 2007. Everyone is using polythene bags and burning plastic. Despite a ban, people, mostly the tourists litter it everywhere and some arrangement needs to be made to mitigate this nuisance. It is posing serious danger to the air and drinking water.
A local farmer and social worker, Neeraj Singh Manhas said that most of the people here are dependent on agricultural practices, but for the last 5 years, we have stopped planting paddy in our fields as hundreds of Kanals of agricultural land has got filled with heeps of plastic wrapers and polythene.
The Sub Divisional Magistrate said that steps towards check on the use of polythene bags are being taken and it becomes very important to make people aware.
When contacted, SDM Bhadarwah Dr Owais Ahmed Rana said “We are serious about implementation of the ban in letter and spirit, recently we have formed a joint team of revenue and municipal officers, who are regularly checking the market, conducting raids and have fined several offenders.”
” People should themselves come forward and cooperate by opting for paper or jute bags, which will make a big difference. They should not only reject the polythene bags offered by shopkeepers but as responsible citizens should inform us about the offenders,” SDM appealed.
Bhadarwah is a major attraction for tourists. But the local residents feel they ought to be enlightened not to bring along plastic or polythene material which is left behind as waste and garbage.
Jammu and Kashmir is one of the few states in the country which has banned plastic.
