Houseboat owners seek 100% subsidy
Mir Baseerat
Srinagar, March 29: The government is planning to install bio-digester in all houseboats moored in Dal and Nigeen Lakes as part of its plan to stop wastewater effluents into water bodies.
The Department of Tourism and Lakes and Waterway Development Authority (LAWDA) had earlier installed Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) designed bio-digesters in six houseboats on pilot basis and their efficiency was put under trial.
An official at the LAWDA said they had installed bio-digesters to six houseboats and they are examining their efficacy and are planning to install in all other houseboats so that wastewater is treated properly. The process has been getting delayed since long while Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Baseer Ahmad Khan on March 26, chaired a meeting of officers and took review of the status of Bio-digesters in Houseboats in Dal Lake, at SKICC here.
In the meeting, the Advisor exhorted on the VC, LAWDA to install Bio-digesters in the Lake in a time bound manner
Former Chairman Kashmir Houseboat Owners Association Ghulam Rasool Siyah said six bio-digesters were installed to houseboats “but there are some issues with their proper functioning”.
“We have informed the government about its efficacy and problems. The government has assured that fresh bio-digesters will be installed which are more viable,” said Siah.
He said installation of these bio-digesters was a long pending plan of the government which is finally being implemented.
The houseboat owner said that the bio-digesters were installed on a trial basis in 2018 in just four houseboats.
“In September last year, the department of tourism and LAWDA proposed the latest bio-digesters, which were installed in 6 houseboats on a trial basis.”
Siah said these bio-digesters were installed at a time when tourism influx was very low and occupancy in houseboats was low. “We actually started using the bio-digesters from January this year and have seen its performance and accordingly informed the government. We are hopeful that our suggestions are incorporated and new bio-digestersare installed,” he said.
The houseboat owners have also demanded installation of these bio-digesters on full subsidy basis.
“This time the government is providing 80 percent of the cost and the rest 20 percent is borne by the Houseboat owner. But we didn’t have any business for two years and keeping in view our losses, the government should provide them on a full subsidy basis.”