Kashmir’s most crumbly water bodies end up like a septic tank

Nishwan Rasool:
Despite being Chek Nageen being notified as the green belt area by the Lakes and Water Ways Development Authority (LAWDA), the college continues to thrive.
The National Institute of Technology (NIT) who are using over than 400 toilets finds its discharge way into the Dal Lake, the C.R.P.F troopers, who are deployed at the Institute, are the main part which subsidizes to the pollution of Dal Lake
Officials at NIT, who wished to keep their anonymous, said, “That the Institute had received a warning note from the Pollution Control Board (PCB) and a case was registered against the college authorities.” Because of the presence of CRPF personnel who have occupied three accommodation buildings in the Institute lot of excreta is flushed out from premises," they further said that the students of the Institute have to suffer in terms of facilities because of the continued presence of CRPF personnel in the NIT premises.
“The major polluter of the lake at this side is the National Institute of Technology and the CRPF battalion situated inside its campus. But the people in the Nigeen area consider NIT as the only major polluter. All the drains of the area are directed into the Nigeen Lake. “The drainage from the canteens, hostels and residential quarters inside the campus goes into Nigeen Lake,” said Razaaq Khan [name changed] (who was working in the NIT hostel mess from past 25 years.
“Human left-over is great manure," once it gets in the water, the raw sewage and fertilizer run-off cause plant life to grow quickly. “Weeds and algae, along with bacteria, proliferate. “As the plant life soaks up oxygen from the water, other forms of aquatic life like fish are slowly choked,” said Dr.Abdul Rasheed who is working as Scientist in Plant pathology department.
He further added that the worsening condition of water bodies and the failing sanitation scenario poses a major threat to the health and economic security of thousands of people in Kashmir. The survival of these water bodies like Dal Lake, Wullar Lake, Nigeen Lake, Manasbal Lake, and River Jhelum, are at risk.

The college authorities further said, that a work progress is going on in NIT premises the 1st and 2nd phase are over, now a work is going on 3rd phase (final phase) which would connect college drainage pipes to Cheek Sedarbal (Nigeen Lake) and Dobhighat Hazratbal (Dal lake) the LAWDA authorities had make the Sedarbal and Dobhighat as the dumping area for human excreta.

Showkat was severely beaten up by JKP official and was fired with 5 rounds in his Leg.

Nishwan Rasool

Showkat mother timid with tears in her eyes said, my son was shot before my eyes I heard his loud pain cries. Showkat at that movement was uttering only one thing from his mouth (mama save me, otherwise I will die) but only words which come out from my mouth that time was have mercy on my child or else he will die.

“On Wednesday 7, August JKP official entered into our house without any provocation and ruthlessly beat up my daughters and son. Showkat, was reading in his room because he was supposed to go for a exam next day. But the official dragged him down from second floor and ruthlessly beat him up with their rifles. I begged in front of officials not to beat him but they hit me with their rifle and laid me down,” narrates her mother Haleema.
“Showkat, is 14 year old and is reading in Waheed Memorial Public School at Ganerbal. He is only younger brother among his four sisters. Some couple of years before his father suffered with mental ailment and he was shifted to Srinagar mental hospital. Showkat, never used to go in the protest which were impending in the area,” Showkat very clearly know that all the liabilities of the family were upon him and his one mistakes could result in downfall of his family. I used to work for late night hours to earn money and make Showkat, as successful person so that he can feed his family. Haleema said
‘‘The official was drunk at that time he harassed my three daughters, and brutally beat up them they were so scared that they open their room window panes and jumped out to save their life.” She added
He even did not leave the local imams who were in (aitqaaf) small room were imam worship in the month of Ramdhaan they were dragged outside on the road and mud and dirt were putted on their face,” said his releative Abdul Rashid
“The shopkeepers who left their shop opens for essential commodities were even not spared the official took out their hens and broke down their neck”, said another resident of Ganderbal
“When Showkat was putted in Ambulance and blood was oozing out from his leg the official came and broke down all the window panes of the ambulance he even did not allow us to move a bit,” said his cousin brother who wished to keep his name anonymous
“They have not fired on his leg but they have fired on our hopes, they have killed all our wishes we are really worried about his future”, said his sister Rubeena.

NIT students forced to stay in 'inhospitable' hostels

Nishwan Rasool
Srinagar, October 6: Students of the National Institute Technology (NIT) are now desperately looking for places to stay as they have been asked by the college administration to stay in their college hostels for the upcoming examinations.


“The college administration had already congested the hostel room by keeping four or five students per room. The room is basically meant for three students. It's inhospitable with all the furniture, etc,” said a hostelite from NIT.

A student from the NIT college who wished to stay anonymous said, “We are the students of Engineering Department and from the last four months, we haven’t attended any classes. We are helpless. Students from our class who are staying in hostels are going for regular classes but our education suffers.”

Another hostelite, on the basis on anonymity, lamented, “There are two more hostels in the college campus but because the security forces has occupied the rooms from several decades, the infra-structure is totally battered.”

Students informed that the college administration had given instructions that regular classes would be unhampered in case of strike or curfew in the Valley. This has to be done so that the syllabus would be completed and the examinations would be conducted on time, they said.

Talking to Kashmir Dispatch, the students complained that the troopers had broken the windowpanes of the hostel and wrecked the electric wires. “Even the doors are laying in the corridor. The hostel cannot be used. The college administration cannot accommodate the students in such rooms. Why the college authorities are not renovating the hostels?” he asked.

Manager of the NIT Hostel G M Shah said, “The hostels which were evacuated by troopers is not in a fit condition to accommodate students. The CRPF had been in college hostels for 20 years and therefore we could not renovate the hostels as result the infra-structure and the drainage system is poor.”

As far as the issue of the classes being held despite curfews and strikes was concerned, Shah explained, “The college administration has decided to run the buses through different areas we have also collected the data of the students living in different areas of Srinagar."

Shah added, "A meeting would be held for this purpose where a decision would be taken whether the buses would be provided to the students.”