Municipal bodies, SIDCO, UEED asked to set up Effluent Treatment Plants
Non-seriousness of key agencies leads to worrisome situation
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 8: River Rejuvenation Committee has fixed six to 18 months time-frame for all the concerned agencies of the State for abatement of pollution in the identified stretches of nine major rivers and streams of Jammu and Kashmir in the Action Plan submitted to the Central Pollution Control Board.
The River Rejuvenation Committee was constituted vide Government Order No.1770 dated December 17, 2018 in the light of the orders of the National Green Tribunal in Original Application No.673/2018. Yesterday the Committee submitted Action Plan for identified polluted stretches of nine major rivers and streams of the State to the Central Pollution Control Board for approval, which is expected shortly.
Official sources privy to the broad contours of the Action Plan told EXCELSIOR that the River Rejuvenation Committee has fixed six to 18 months time-frame for all the concerned agencies of the State Government for putting in place mechanism for abatement of pollution in the identified stretches of these rivers and streams.
Giving further details, they said, “about polluted stretch of River Tawi the River Rejuvenation Committee, while expressing concern over inordinate delay in completion of sewer works particularly in Jammu city, has laid stress on gearing up of the works by the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) so as to complete the project by current year end in all probability”.
It is pertinent to mention here that the project was to be completed by March 2018 but because of varied reasons including delay in release of funds the target was missed and still work is pending.
“Out of three Effluent Treatment Plants constructed by Urban Environment Engineering Department (UEED) two are functional while as third one is yet to be made operational”, sources said, adding “even one functional Effluent Treatment Plant is not being used up to its full capacity because of delay in completion of underground channel works”.
They further said, “it is because of delay in completion of sewer works that waste water is directly flowing into River Tawi through 18 nullahs and polluting the five kilometre stretch of the river from Surajpur to Belicharana”.
About five kilometre polluted stretch of Basantar River in Samba, sources said that Effluent Treatment Plant for abatement of pollution was sanctioned long time back and it was to be established by SIDCO but no significant progress has been made till date and River Rejuvenation Committee has laid stress on early start of work on the plant, which would have the capacity to check flow of effluent from the Industrial Growth Centre Samba to River Basantar.
When asked about five kilometre polluted stretch of River Devika from Guru Ravi Dass Temple to Nainsu in Udhampur, sources said that Rs 186.74 crore project sanctioned by the Union Government would take care of all aspects relating to pollution abatement.
“About three-kilometre polluted stretch of Banganga in Katra, the River Rejuvenation Committee has laid stress on setting up of Effluent Treatment Plant on war footing basis by the UEED”, sources said, adding “this plant would have the capacity to treat effluent from the hotels, Katra town and some portion of track of Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine”.
With regard to polluted stretch of River Chuntkol, a tributary of Jhelum, in Kashmir valley, the River Rejuvenation Committee has suggested immediate removal of all the lavatories of both Government and private by the concerned Municipal Committee.
Similarly, for two different polluted stretches of River Jhelum, the Committee has proposed joint action by all the concerned Municipal Committees against all those activities which are leading to pollution and setting up of sufficient number of Effluent Treatment Plants, sources disclosed.
“Had all the concerned Municipal Bodies, Urban Environment Engineering Department and other agencies acted well in time the vast stretches of nine major rivers and streams could have been prevented from turning polluted”, they said and hoped that there would be strict compliance to the steps suggested by the River Rejuvenation Committee in the Action Plan.
It is worthwhile to mention here that EXCELSIOR in its edition dated December 17, 2018 had exclusively reported that due to non-serious approach of all the concerned agencies of the State Government vast stretches of nine major rivers and streams have become polluted over a period of time.
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