By : Chowdhary Rabiya Shafiq
Rajouri: Where most of the areas of state of Jammu and Kashmir talks of miseries due to non availability of basic facilities. Dhangri village’s story is quite different from them. Dhangri is a village in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir state has population of more than 10 thousand people including men, women and children.
In violation of set norms by the authorities a brick kiln came up in this densely populated area which has been making life of the inhabitants’ miserable.
People of the area are in state of hopelessness due to prevailing bad environmental conditions in the area due to the establishment which has been great threat to the environment of the area particularly and district in general.
In periphery of 100 meters there are 8 primary and middle schools where Thousand of students of less than 15 years age are studying. The incessant increase in pollution has been hitting them hard and has simultaneously worsened their health conditions.
“As per government rules and regulations no kiln can be established in residential areas.”
Residents of the area are worst sufferers of the rising pollution in the area .Diseases like throat infection, skin irritation, Cancer, Tuberculosis,Asthma, Hapetitis, Respiratory disease and other chest and breathing ailment has become common in the village.
People in the area are with withered faces due to prevailing environmental conditions .Govt has turned blind eye towards the area.
“We are always in fear of getting hit by speedy vehicles. We can’t even move out of our houses because of dusty road and environmental conditions, even when our children leave for educational institutes early in the morning in their school uniforms they don’t look students but minor labors,” Social Activist Harish Bharti said.
“Majority of the population of the area is suffering from different diseases due to air and noise pollution.” said another local.
“Due to alarming pollution in the area there are ample chances of breakout of different ailments like irritation to the eyes, nose and throat. It can also lead to upper respiratory infection (includes bronchitis & pneumonia) others include headache, nausea and allergic reaction. These short term complications due to continuous exposure to dust fog pollens mostly poplars and other pollutants in air can aggravate with asthma and emphysema,” experts say.
People demand immediate closure of the kiln in public interest in Dhangri.