Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forest visited Jammu city to record its impressions on the environmental status of the city of Jammu. It was shocked to find the Tawi River bed turned into a garbage dumping site, contaminating the waters and degrading the environment. Heaps of garbage are found spread over its banks and that shows the city has no solid waste management and sewerage treatment facilities. The Panel has asked how we can call a city the capital city if it has not the elementary requirement of garbage management in scientific manner. People are not made conscious of their responsibility of maintaining clean environment. Litter is thrown into the river and thus environmental degradation is on an increase. The Panel has found other grave discrepancies that have reduced the standard of Jammu as a capital city. Absence of proper planning, hopeless condition of roads and streets, chaotic city transport system, noise pollution, water logging during rainy season and the danger of spread of epidemics, absence of parks, play grounds and recreational and picnic sites are among its major discrepancies.
Shockingly, the main trunk sewer lines and lateral lines have been laid in different parts of the city but the project executing agency-NBCC doesn’t have funds to provide house connections. In 2013 the State Government had announce Master Plan for the city. More than three years have gone by and the sewerage system has not been made functional.
The Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee said he had visited Jammu after fifteen years and was appalled to find the condition of Tawi very disappointing. It was given the name of the daughter of the Sun in our mythological lore. But how sad that this sacred river has been polluted and its sanctity has been grossly abused.
Follow our WhatsApp channel