Dehradun: Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board (UKPCB) has issued notices to 13 hotels and five restaurants for allegedly downloading effluents in the shipra river nearby Kainchi DhamA popular pilgrim age site located in the Kumoon hills, approximately 38 km from Nainital, reports Pankul Sharma.
The site attracts a large number of devotees visiting the Ashram of Neeb Karori Baba, whose followers include Mark Zuckerberg from Facebook, the Cricket Virat player Kohli and Steve Jobs of Apple.
A team of the State Pollution Board recently camped on the site for three days, collected samples and then delivered notices to hoteliers and restaurant owners on Saturday, granting them a month to present their response.
According to administrative sources, approximately 5,000 to 10,000 devotees visit Kainchi Dham daily, with numbers that increase to almost 20,000 on weekends, holidays and special days associated with the site.
UKPCB officials said that 13 hotels operate near Kainchi Dham, with several others under construction. “In addition to these hotels, five restaurants are also running there, and the effluents of the 18 establishments are contaminating the Shipra River, damaging the environment,” said an official.
Anurag Negi, the regional officer of the Controlling Board, told Toi: “We have issued warnings to the hotels under construction as they began working without obtaining the certificate of non -objection required of us. These establishments have given a month to provide clarification, after which appropriate measures will be taken according to the regulations. “
The officer also raised concerns about the absence of a wastewater treatment plant in the city of Bhowali.
