Srinagar: The snail’s pace of work over installation of bio-digesters in the houseboats is putting a question mark over the government claims about the cleansing and other processes to preserve the world famous Dal Lake here.
Sources told Precious Kashmir that only a few houseboats have been covered by the concerned authorities as the process for installation of bio-digesters came to a grinding halt for unknown reasons.
They said the then Governor of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State, N N Vohra had pitched for completion of installation of bio-digesters in houseboats in three months.
President Kashmir Houseboat Owners Association, Abdul Hameed said in the last three years, the bio-digesters have been installed only in six houseboats.
“Three houseboats were covered last year while three more have been covered two years back,” he said adding the scientists from Siachen were called to look into the issue who batted for the installation of bio-digesters in the houseboats.
Hameed said the Experts Committee formed on directions of the High Court had recommended that the bio-digesters should be installed free of cost in the houseboats. “The process has not been started properly to cover all the houseboats.”
He said that after Vohra’s tenure ended, the administration later came up with a new revival package for the houseboat owners wherein it was stated that 80 per cent of the charges for installation of bio-digesters will be borne by the government and rest 20 per cent by the owner itself, which they (houseboat owners) accepted.
Nonetheless, the revival package has not been implemented on the ground since then.
“It seems that the government is not serious in the development and revival of the tourism sector,” Hameed said.
According to the government figures, over 900 houseboats are registered with the Tourism department whose eco-friendly waste management is necessary.
Pertinently, Bio-digester is a decomposition mechanised toilet system which decomposes human excretory waste in a digester tank specific high-graded bacteria.
