Pulwama youth expresses love for hills through cleanliness drives
The hilltop, which is a flat ground surrounded by lush green trees, is a busy place during Summers as young boys can be seen playing cricket matches there.
SRINAGAR (J&K) — A youth in Kashmir valley’s Pulwama district has found a unique way to express his love for the mountains. He has been making efforts to keep the hills unspoilt by carrying out frequent cleanliness drives.
During one such drive, the youth named Shifayat Ahmad Latoo recently visited Musalmarg forests in his native Argicheck village and cleaned a hilltop, which is frequented mostly by cricket lovers.
The hilltop, which is a flat ground surrounded by lush green trees, is a busy place during Summers as young boys can be seen playing cricket matches there.
The young Shifayat, along with a few of his friends, collected plastic bottles, plastic food wrappers, empty cigarette packs among other litter and later disposed of the garbage by landfilling. However, he had to burn some garbage right there as it wasn’t possible for the few people to carry all of the litter for landfilling.
“People keep their homes clean and forget about the bigger home—our environment. We should work to protect our environment too. Cricketers and trekkers come to Musalmarg in large numbers and many of them litter the place, which should be a big concern for us. We don’t have to act as mute spectators,” Shifayat said.
He contrasted that people in foreign countries protect their environment and even contribute money for the same but in Kashmir, the government as well as people do not pay much attention to it.
“Although, I do this just because I love these hills and want to see them green always, however, it would be great if some concrete steps are also taken by the concerned authorities to frame and implement such laws which would restrict people to litter at such fragile environment,” he wishes.
Shifayat says that it is the responsibility of people, especially the locals, to keep the areas clean so that the people continue to visit them again with good memories and experiences.
