Muck dumping threat to Charan river

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, January 31

Illegal dumping of muck was polluting Charan river on the Kangra-Dharamsala national highway. Contractors who are bringing down a hill on the same road for bringing up a petrol station were illegally dumping muck downhill into the river. The muck was making the water of the river muddy.

Interestingly, the illegal dumping was taking place on the main national highway leading to Dharamsala despite the fact that the CM was on a winter sojourn to the city and most officials were travelling on the road daily.

Those working at the dumping site said they were dumping it with the permission of the forest and PWD authorities. However, the officials of both departments have denied that they have given any permission for dumping the muck there.

The Executive Engineer, PWD, Dharamsala, when contacted said hey had given NOC for setting up a petrol station on the road. However, no permission was given for dumping of muck alongside the national highway.

Parveen Thakur, DFO, Dharamsala, said the muck was being dumped on a private land, but he had no knowledge that it was being dumped into the river. We had already warned those dumping the muck alongside the road and had also fined them. However, in this case also, action would be taken against the guilty, he said.

A visit to the spot revealed that so much muck had been dumped alongside the road that it had created reclaimed land of about 15 to 20 feet. The water of the river flowing below had also gone muddy due to the illegal dumping of muck in it.

Sources here said dumping sites had to be approved by the PWD and Forest Department. The dumping of muck along the hill sides has been banned as it causes ecological and geological threats to the area. Unscientific dumping of muck also leads to landslides during monsoons.

Rakesh Kumar, a local resident, said most of the officials were busy pleasing those in power in the new government so nobody was bothered about the law and order situation in the state.