Says no perceptible change in prevailing traffic scenario
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Nov 15: Division Bench of State High Court comprising Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed and Justice Sanjeev Kumar today expressed shock over pathetic condition of River Tawi and growing air and noise pollution in the winter capital of the State. The DB held absolute non-seriousness of all the concerned departments responsible for the prevailing situation and remarked that whatever steps claimed to have been taken by the authorities have failed to bring any perceptible change on the ground.
These observations were made by the Division Bench after going through the power point presentations, which were made for the first time in the history of Jammu wing of the State High Court by different Government officers on the burning issues confronting the City of Temples.
When the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) titled Rajinder Singh Versus State of J&K and Others came up for hearing, the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice was apprised by the Senior Additional Advocate General Wasim Sadiq Nargal and Additional Advocate General Rohit Kapoor that concerned officers were ready with their power point presentations as per the directions issued on last date of hearing.
Accordingly, on the directions of the Chief Justice the SSP Traffic Nisha Nathyal started power point presentation on the traffic scenario in the winter capital city. She elaborated the steps being taken by the Traffic Police to regulate vehicular movements in the city. It was pointed out that majority of the banquet halls either lack space for parking of vehicles or have insufficient space for the same which was leading to traffic snarls in several parts of Jammu city particularly on Akhnoor Road.
However, the Division Bench, in the open jam packed court, expressed dis-satisfaction over the measures being taken by the Traffic Police and remarked that the steps taken by the cops in blue till date have failed to yield desirable results and traffic jams have become routine in major parts of the winter capital.
Issuing directions for initiating more steps to regulate vehicular traffic in Jammu city, the DB stressed the need of taking some stringent action against the banquets which don’t have parking space and contributing to traffic jams during the marriage seasons. “By next date of hearing, the Government should come up with the steps, which it is contemplating to take against the erring banquet halls”, the DB directed in the open court.
Even directions were issued to the Transport Department and Traffic Police for taking stern action against the vehicles particularly the mini-buses which are the major source of congestion and air pollution in the Jammu city. It was noted with concern that even after the establishment of pollution checking centres by the Transport Department vehicles continue to contribute immensely to already deteriorating air quality.
Pointing towards the submission regarding re-designing of the rotaries, the DB directed for effective coordination between Jammu Municipal Corporation, Jammu Development Authority and R&B Department in this regard. On specific points for picking or dropping of passengers by the operators of the mini-buses, the DB directed the Transport Commissioner to submit a report in this regard so as to avoid prevailing mess.
A Senior Scientist of Jammu and Kashmir State Pollution Control Board, while making presentation about pollution of River Tawi, informed the Division Bench that water quality of River Tawi also known as Surya Putri is being monitored at five stations.
“The quality of water is better in the upstream but it deteriorates as river enters the municipal limits. The most polluted stretch of River Tawi is within municipal limits of Jammu city mostly due to discharge of untreated sewage”, the Senior Scientist revealed, adding “the dissolved oxygen at certain locations within municipal limits is as low as 6.7 mg/l and BOD level is 5.3 mg/l which is harmful for aquatic as well as human life”.
Revealing that there was no check on discharge of untreated sewage in River Tawi, the PCB brought to the notice of Division Bench that out of three Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) two are functional but under-utilized because drainage network is not fully connected with these STPs. It was also revealed that 653 Metric Tonnes of waste is being generated every day in Jammu region of which 605.6 Metric Tonnes is collected per day but only 5.5 Metric Tonnes per day is being treated by the municipal bodies.
As far as Jammu city is concerned, 380 tonnes per day waste is generated of which 350 tonnes per day waste is collected. “Currently there is no scientific landfill site available and open dumping is being done at Bhagwati Nagar dumping site which has aerial distance of less than 3 kilometer from Jammu Airport as such posing threat of bird hit to the aircrafts”, the PCB submitted before the Division Bench.
It was also informed that presently Pollution Control Board is monitoring Ambient Air Quality of Jammu city at three stations located at MAM Stadium, Narwal and Bari Brahmana and three additional stations for Jammu city at Kachi Chawani, Janipur and Satwari Chowk have been proposed.
Expressing shock over continuous pollution of River Tawi, the DB, in the open court, directed the concerned agency of the State to submit latest status of connecting STPs with the drainage network by next date of hearing and the likely date of completion of third STP so that discharge of untreated sewage into River Tawi is checked.
“The River Tawi is in pathetic condition and exposes the non-serious approach of the concerned authorities”, the DB remarked in the open court. The Commissioner of Jammu Municipal Corporation, who was personally present in the court, could not appropriately answer the queries of the DB vis-à-vis alternate dumping site identified at Kot Bhalwal, which was viewed seriously by the highest court of the State. The DB directed that exact status of the alternate dumping site at Kot Bhalwal be revealed on next date of hearing.
“There is a dire need to deal with solid waste management in terms of the Solid Waste Management Regulation of 2016”, the DB said and issued directions for constitution of a committee comprising of the Divisional Commissioner Jammu, the Vice Chairman JDA, the Commissioner JMC, the Chairman State Pollution Control Board and the Chief Engineer Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED).
“The Committee shall hold its first meeting within a week from today to examine the requirements of law with regard to solid waste management and the steps needed to be taken to satisfy those requirements. This may include setting up of Waste to the Energy Plant and scientific dumping site in terms of the Rules and Regulations”, the DB further directed.
While listing the PIL on December 14, 2017, the DB directed that on next date of hearing the concerned authorities shall make power point presentations on brick kilns and bio-medical waste.
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