PAHALGAM: An orientation programme was held at convocation centre pahalgam club  today in which a number if civil society members  stakeholders .Organizers was Tasaduk Hussain  Mufti ,Raja Muzaffar Bhat Dr Shikh Fayaz ,Advocate Tufail and others. Local environmental concerns especially . garbage dumping and segregation were discussed and the massive damage to pahalgam's ecology due to careless and irresponsible garbage dumping and sewage  practices by local civic bodies was discussed.
A number of people expressed their views and the need to find new dumping sites and land fills was emphasized especially. in view of the serious threat of health hazard due to contamination of water at the present site at Sarbal, the need for which was also appreciated by the forest and environment minister recently at the insistence of locals whereby he had ordered the local authorities  to ensure prevention of further dumping at the sarbal.
People were also encouraged to keep their surroundings clean and hygienic. The Himalayan Welfare Organization appreciates and lauds the initiative and hopes more such programmes are held in the future and that concrete changes result from such initiatives and urges the people to do their due so that they can then have the moral authority to question the government for failing to deliver.
Those who spoke at the event included Tasaduk Hussain  Mufti, Director Tourism Kashmir Mehmood Ahmad Shah,Chief Executive Officer Pahalgam Development Authority Pahalgam Reyaz Ahmad Wani, Raja Muzafar Bhat, Mushtaq Pahalgami Social Activist Environmentalist,  and others. The function was attended by a large number of people.