PaRCha - JNU - AISA material - 2008 ID-21493
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religious and secular grounds. In other words it is downright duplicitous when the Indian State promotes religious tourism (tourism in any event) appealing to Hindus patriotic duty which actually is an euphemism for augmentation of physical and ideological stakes, in the guise of welfare of Hindu pilgrims. This is an extension and/or part of the process of acquisition of huge mass of land (orchard and cultivable fields, including the precious saffron fields of Pampore) by Indian security forces and water management and control through the National Hydro Power Corporation (owned by Government of India). This creates facts on the ground which become the new justifications for augmented presence of Indian security forces in the public and private lives of people. .
Implications are far-reaching. SASB runs a virtually parallel administration and acts as a sovereign body promoting Hindu interests, increasing the number of pilgrims from 12,000 in 1989 to over 400,000 in 2007 and the period from fifteen days to two and half months (the first fortnight is meant for families of service personnel). It has virtually taken over the functioning of Pahalgam Development Authority, laying claims on forest lands and constructing shelters and structures even in the Pahalgam Golf Course! As part of the latest instances of land grab it received the approval of state government on June 3, 2008 to transfer 800 kanals of forest land. And wants another 3200 kanals. The SASB has also staked claims to setup an independent Amarnath Development Authority between Nunwan, Pahalgam, and Baltal (ahead of Sonmarg)! It is true that the state government shot down this proposal and has publicly claimed that only temporary structures can be set up in the 800 kanals two things should be kept in mind. Firstly, the brazen manner in which SASB has gone about staking claims. Secondly, but for public anger it is doubtful if the state government would have found courage to oppose the demands of the SASB. It has not done anything to prevent or rollback the annexation of parts of Pahalgam Golf Course in order to provide security for pilgrims. .
Be that as it may. Probably the most damning evidence against the SASB and its dangerous exclusivist policy is the damage being caused to environment in and around Pahalgam. A noted environmentalist told Greater Kashmir (June 10,2008) that The yatris during their Amarnath yatra do not only defecate on the banks of the Lidder river but throw tons of non-degradable items like polythene, plastic items directly into the river. This has resulted in the deterioration of its water quality. An expert MRD Kundangar told Greater Kashmir that (t)he chemical oxygen demand of the Lidder has been recorded between 17-92 mg/l which is beyond the permissible level. Such enriched waters with hazardous chemicals ranges can no way be recommended for potable purposes. It has crossed all permissible limits due to flow of sewage and open defecation . Lidder has been turned into a cesspool. .
It has been estimated that every day during the pilgrimage 55,000 kgs of waste is generated. Apart from this waste the degradation caused by buses and vehicles carrying pilgrims, trucks carrying provisions and massive deployment of security forces contributes further to air pollution. Another fallout is the threat posed to local inhabitants from crowding of the ecologically fragile area where they have to compete to retain their access and rights to resources both water and land. .
.
PaRCha - JNU - AISA material - 2008 ID-21493
.
religious and secular grounds. In other words it is downright duplicitous when the Indian State promotes religious tourism (tourism in any event) appealing to Hindus patriotic duty which actually is an euphemism for augmentation of physical and ideological stakes, in the guise of welfare of Hindu pilgrims. This is an extension and/or part of the process of acquisition of huge mass of land (orchard and cultivable fields, including the precious saffron fields of Pampore) by Indian security forces and water management and control through the National Hydro Power Corporation (owned by Government of India). This creates facts on the ground which become the new justifications for augmented presence of Indian security forces in the public and private lives of people. .
Implications are far-reaching. SASB runs a virtually parallel administration and acts as a sovereign body promoting Hindu interests, increasing the number of pilgrims from 12,000 in 1989 to over 400,000 in 2007 and the period from fifteen days to two and half months (the first fortnight is meant for families of service personnel). It has virtually taken over the functioning of Pahalgam Development Authority, laying claims on forest lands and constructing shelters and structures even in the Pahalgam Golf Course! As part of the latest instances of land grab it received the approval of state government on June 3, 2008 to transfer 800 kanals of forest land. And wants another 3200 kanals. The SASB has also staked claims to setup an independent Amarnath Development Authority between Nunwan, Pahalgam, and Baltal (ahead of Sonmarg)! It is true that the state government shot down this proposal and has publicly claimed that only temporary structures can be set up in the 800 kanals two things should be kept in mind. Firstly, the brazen manner in which SASB has gone about staking claims. Secondly, but for public anger it is doubtful if the state government would have found courage to oppose the demands of the SASB. It has not done anything to prevent or rollback the annexation of parts of Pahalgam Golf Course in order to provide security for pilgrims. .
Be that as it may. Probably the most damning evidence against the SASB and its dangerous exclusivist policy is the damage being caused to environment in and around Pahalgam. A noted environmentalist told Greater Kashmir (June 10,2008) that The yatris during their Amarnath yatra do not only defecate on the banks of the Lidder river but throw tons of non-degradable items like polythene, plastic items directly into the river. This has resulted in the deterioration of its water quality. An expert MRD Kundangar told Greater Kashmir that (t)he chemical oxygen demand of the Lidder has been recorded between 17-92 mg/l which is beyond the permissible level. Such enriched waters with hazardous chemicals ranges can no way be recommended for potable purposes. It has crossed all permissible limits due to flow of sewage and open defecation . Lidder has been turned into a cesspool. .
It has been estimated that every day during the pilgrimage 55,000 kgs of waste is generated. Apart from this waste the degradation caused by buses and vehicles carrying pilgrims, trucks carrying provisions and massive deployment of security forces contributes further to air pollution. Another fallout is the threat posed to local inhabitants from crowding of the ecologically fragile area where they have to compete to retain their access and rights to resources both water and land. .
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