red levels of fecal coliform
February 16, 2012 by Kevin5u2m
Comments (0)
Much of it is untreated human waste from the houseboats, houses and hotels that is dumped into the lake. The result is an explosion in algae and other plants that rob the lake of oxygen. The oxygen is needed to support aquatic life.
The serene Dal Lake in Kashmir Valley has inspi http:/
By Raymond Thibodeaux Srinagar
The lake is litte http:/
Analysts say that, in some parts of the lake, levels of fecal coliform, a potentially deadly bacterium, are well above what the World Health Organization considers safe for swimming.
That is good new s to Syed at Global Green Peace.
Many Kashmiris feel the same way. Some are taking matters into their own hands. Recently, more than 50 volunteers gathe http:/
SYED: "Ten years back every|extremely|reallybody in Srinagar used fish (from the lake), even the vegetables. And even people used to wash their hands and drink water from the lake. But now, as you see the evidence of waterborne diseases like hepatitis and all that is growing. I dondon't|do nott think Iarkansas single|individual parent scholarshipm too foolish to do that."
THIBODEAUX: You would not eat fish?
SYED: "No, I don reductiont think so because I donpermanent|'t know what I am eating."
Shaffat Syed heads Global Green Peace, a local private agency trying to clean up Dal Lake. He says the surge of population on the lake and in the surrounding city of Srinagar has hurt the lake.
Kashmir has had its share of turmoil in the past two decades as Indian army troops have clashed with militants allegedly backed by neighboring Pakistan. But as the conflict seems to be ebbing, many|countless|numerous Kashmiris are turning their attention to environmental issues, which were negled during the fighting. High on their agenda is cleaning up the pollution in Dal Lake, as Raymond Thibodeaux reports from Srinagar, the capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
"If we leave it as it is and the problem starts aggravating, aggravating, aggravating, a time will come when it will be a point of no return for this lake. Because if population keeps on going up and up inside the lake, (and) then if we will not manage tourism inside the lake, we do not manage our houseboats, we do not manage the waste coming out the houseboats and hotels and other things on the peripheries, definitely the effect will be on this lake," Sayed said.
Building more sewage treatment plants was part of a $150 million government program launched in 2005 to clean up Dal Lake. The plan |additionally , included relocating scores of |smaller than average|small , and factories and hund http:/
Irshad Khan is the director of Kashmir stateduration|time-span of the lease|period|duration|lengths forest ministry, which monitors the health of the regionford opportunity|chance program|plans lakes and rivers. He says the statef http:/
More people nike jordan air heels , more pollution.
"This is a major problem here, |actually|actually ,," Irshad said. "The Kashmir Valley does not have a well-planned, well-laid sewerage system. So entire waste water, domestic particularly, is being discharged into the rivers and lakes. In the Dal Lake in Srinagar, most of the sewage of the city or waste water is being discharged into it. Now, a few treatment plants have been set up here and there, three or four, |however still the problem remains."
In the 30 years since, the number of people living in houseboats on Dal Lake has quadrupled to more than 60,000. And over the past few years, nearly a quarter million tourists have come annually to stay on the lake.
So far, the plan has not had much|much success, largely because of a separatist insurgency that has wracked Kashmir for two decades. In the past few years, peace efforts have eased the fighting and now authorities here want to revive plans to save the lake.
Articles link:
By Sonja Pace London!