Woes pile up near HCC casting yard in Bandipora Kashmir, pollution increasing Management in slumber

Woes pile up near HCC casting yard in Bandipora Kashmir, pollution increasing Management in slumber

Bandipora: While water is getting polluted due to haphazard dumping and uncouth operations by Hindustan Construction Company(HCC) here in Bandipora , the government is facing trouble over pollution of Asia Largest Fresh water lake due to leachate (a solution resulting from leaching, as of soluble constituents from soil, landfill, etc., by downward percolating ground water) by operations of Hindustan Construction Company executing 330 Megawatt Hydro electric power project in the remote district Bandipora about 59 Kilometer from summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir .

From the very beginning with the work on the project started in late 2007, Bandipora township and its adjoin villages like Pzalpora, Kralpora, Sonarwani, Mantrigam, Kaloosa and other villages have been demanding that water from draining out form the power house, Main tunnel and from other operation spots like casting yard, dumping yard etc should not enter their streams, rivers and which in turn drain into the Asia Largest Fresh water lake located in Bandipora.

HCC has been dumping about thousands metric tons (MTs) of muck and garbage daily in the patch of the forests located ten kilometers from the man town. Though the environmental activists along with locals raised voice against the devastative operations of HCC but the authorities in HCC are allegedly covering this all devastation by paying hefty sum to the local’s adminstrators, allged people in Bandipora.

Many villages like Kralpora, Pazalpora, Mantrigam, Darmaham, Bankoot, Harteng and Sonarwani located close to casting and dumping yard, have been facing ground water pollution due to continuous dumping over the years.

A few months ago, residents of Pazlopra, and Darmahama in Bandipora had complained to Deputy Commissioner that the streams in their village were getting polluted due to leachate of HCC casting yard.

Deputy Commissioner Manzoor Ahmed lone acting tough against the public complaints sent the water sample to research institute for the mobility test and it was found the water being polluted is nether neither of drinking use nor of washing use.

Even unknown diseases have start spreading in the villages while people are losing hair and got the throat dieses due to use of polluted water.

After people complained of water pollution, the District Magistrate , a couple of weeks ago, had stopped inflows into streams and rivers and ordered HCC to form an earthen bund below the Dumping yard, casting yard and Min tunnel to ensure that the leachate does not enter the locals water resources.

The district collector did not give permission reportedly due to resentment of people in the area who are down streams of Main Tunnel, Castiing yard and dumping yard.

People in the area have expressed fear that the drained out water from HCC operations is entering the Wular Lake which can mar the income of about 40,000 fishermen habituating the Wular alongside.

The water pollution in and around Pazlpora area of Bandipora district and adjoin village’s triggered huge protests few weeks ago. Villagers had staged a dharna and even stopped ransacked HCC machinery and garbage vehicles proceeding to casting yard as the dumping yard was not only causing ground water pollution but also roads were getting damaged due to heavy traffic. Though the HCC assured them of laying roads, drinking water supply and street lights and other facilities, but till date they have done nothing expecting greasing the palms of local political leaders and officers, locals said in Bandipora.

When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Manzoor Ahmed Lone told Agence India Press that, they have inspected the area on the directions of the Honorable PHE Minster and were taking necessary steps for preventing water pollution.

Since water in near streams and rivers had already got polluted, the District Magistrate has directed the HCC to drain out safely so that nearby stream may not get polluted further, States Public Heath Engineering Minster Taj Mahiudin said.

Minster said that all the concerned agency would be informed who in turn will seek explanation from HCC why the water resources are being polluted besides have resources to save the same? (AIP News)