SRINAGAR — A cleanliness drive has been organized in Srinagar, the capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The officials and volunteers took a step towards the preservation of the water bodies of the Kashmir valley by cleaning the Dal Lake of Srinagar.
A Travel Agents Federation of Kashmir (TAFOK) incorporation with the Tourism department has organized the drive that draws the attention of several people of the Valley.
During the drive, travel operators of the Travel Agents Federation of Kashmir, volunteers of local non-government organizations (NGO), and students voluntarily showed their interest in the cleaning drive.
The Dal Lake or the urban lake is integral to tourism and recreation in Kashmir and is named the “Jewel in the crown of Kashmir” or “Srinagar’s Jewel.”
The lake is also an important source for commercial operations in fishing and water plant harvesting.
The lake covers an area of 18 square kilometers (6.9 square miles) and is part of a natural wetland that covers 21.1 square kilometers (8.1 square miles), including its floating gardens.
The floating gardens, known as “Raad” in Kashmiri, blossom with lotus flowers during July and August.
Hilal Ahmad, the organizer, said they have been preparing for a month for the cleanliness drive.
“We have been preparing for this drive for a month. Dal Lake is a heritage property as well,” he said.
“We were planning to conduct this drive for 2-3 days every month. It’s a social and moral responsibility of every citizen to participate in cleaning drives to preserve our nature.”
“It’s a humble request to all the citizens to keep their surroundings clean as much as they can. This Dal lake is our identity, and hence it becomes very important for us as citizens to keep it clean.”
During this drive, participants use local boats and nets to collect the waste, including plastic bottles, polythene, disposable items, and other wastes.
Mushtaq, a participant, said, “Dal Lake is a gift of God to us, and it’s our responsibility to preserve it.”
“The plastic wastes in the lake can disturb the ecosystem, their species, and hydrophytes.”
“I am thankful to the director of the Tourism Department for making a contribution to this initiative.”
Srinagar has a distinctive blend of cultural heritage. Holy places in and around the city depict the historical, cultural, and religious diversity of the city as well as the Kashmir valley.
(With inputs from ANI)
Edited by Amrita Das and Pallavi Mehra
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