JKPCC rings alarm bells over River Tawi
UEED not responding to inadequate performance of STP
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 3: The Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) has reported a sharp rise in faecal coliform levels in the Tawi River, holding the inefficient performance of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) operated by the Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED) responsible for the alarming contamination. Compounding the crisis, the Jammu district administration has admitted the presence of 256 encroachers along the Tawi banks, who are dumping untreated sewage and solid waste directly into the river.
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In a report submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in compliance with its April 30, 2025 directions in the case titled “Tawi Barrage and Riverfront Projects destroying river inviting disaster”, the JKPCC noted that the Chief Engineer, UEED, had been asked to explain the poor performance of STPs after water analysis revealed high faecal coliform levels near Belicharana and Surajpur.
The Regional Director, JKPCC Jammu, was also instructed to collect samples from operational STPs discharging into the Tawi and provide a detailed water quality analysis for further action. Similarly, the Deputy Commissioner of Jammu was asked to share the list of encroachers along the left and right banks of the river and report on steps taken to prevent untreated sewage and solid waste dumping.
Following the analysis, the Regional Director reported that the 30 MLD STP at Bhagwati Nagar is meeting all standards except for faecal coliform. This means that while the plant is able to remove other pollutants within permissible limits, it is failing to disinfect the treated water adequately, thereby allowing harmful bacteria from human waste to flow into the river and pose serious public health risks.
However, despite repeated reminders, the Chief Engineer, UEED, has failed to respond to JKPCC queries regarding the inadequate functioning of the STP.
Meanwhile, the Jammu district administration, instead of furnishing a direct reply to JKPCC, submitted a separate report to the NGT confirming the presence of 256 encroachers on State land (Khasra Nos. 302 and 303 of village Jammu Khas, Tehsil Jammu), but remained silent on action taken against these violators. The Deputy Commissioner has now been requested to provide the current, assami-wise status of the encroached land.
The findings paint a stark picture: Unless urgent remedial measures are taken, the Tawi River faces irreversible ecological collapse. With the NGT keeping close watch, the responsibility now lies squarely on the J&K authorities to enforce sewage treatment norms and act against encroachers.
Stating that one of the gravest ecological threats to the Tawi stems from the continuous inflow of untreated and inadequately treated sewage, the environmentalists said, “with the Bhagwati Nagar STP failing to disinfect wastewater fully, harmful faecal coliform bacteria continue to seep into the river, contaminating its ecosystem and endangering aquatic life. This unchecked bacterial load is gradually transforming the river from a freshwater resource into a breeding ground for waterborne diseases”.
“Rampant dumping of solid waste along the riverbanks by encroachers and local settlements has compounded the crisis. Plastics, construction debris, and municipal waste not only block the natural flow of the river but also release toxic chemicals into the water. This alters the river’s natural composition and destroys the fragile aquatic habitats”, they further said.
The presence of 256 identified encroachers has narrowed the natural riverbed, restricting its capacity to absorb monsoon flows and creating artificial bottlenecks. These encroachments, many of which discharge untreated sewage, directly threaten the ecological balance by reducing self-purification mechanisms of the river and accelerating its degradation, the environmentalists pointed out.
They warn that without urgent interventions, the Tawi could reach a tipping point of irreversible ecological damage. High faecal contamination, continuous dumping of waste and unchecked encroachments may render the river incapable of recovery.
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