Social Audit Team constituted to assess quality of work]
*5 hotels, 12 brick kilns, 12 service stations sealed
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 12: Stating that strict enforcement measures have been initiated for pollution abatement of River Devika, the Deputy Commissioner Udhampur has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that two kilometers stretch of the river has been cleared of solid waste, silt and boulders and the remaining four kilometers will be cleared within next three months.
Moreover, social audit team has been constituted to assess the quality of works executed under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) for the pollution abatement of holy river and five hotels, five banquets, eight brick kilns and 12 service stations have been sealed under the provisions of Water and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Laws.
In compliance to the order dated January 1, 202 passed in Original Application (OA) No.176/2023 titled Rohit Padha Versus Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Others, Deputy Commissioner Udhampur Saloni Rai has mentioned in the report that no grey or black water remains untapped in the areas covered under the pipe sewer system and black or grey water from left out areas is being disposed of at the Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) and record of disposal is being maintained by the UEED.
“Additionally, a team of UEED, contractors and PMC are conducting extensive inspections of all households polluting the river and visible external storm water pipes are being disconnected on the spot”, she said, adding “the Chief Executive Officer, Municipal Council Udhampur has reported that in January this year 220 tractor trollies of silt and boulders were removed from Devika River”.
Further, two kilometers stretch of the river has been cleared of solid waste, silt and boulders and the remaining four kilometers will be cleared within three months with the same manpower and machinery, the report said, adding even iron mesh has been installed at vulnerable spots and convergence points at Devika River to prevent the flow of waste into river.
However, Director of Urban Local Bodies has been approached to take up the matter with Irrigation and Flood Control of UEED at the administrative level for preparation of a comprehensive plan and taking up the same in AMRUT for rejuvenation of water bodies as it required a huge cost for dredging along with the removal of silt and boulders in a stretch of 2-3 kilometers.
With respect to Municipal Solid Waste (legacy waste), it has been submitted that there was 18500 metric tonnes of waste at Sui Jhakkar site and 16500 metric tonnes of waste has been disposed of and the remaining 2000 metric tonnes of waste has not been processed due to an overhead transmission line which poses a serious safety concern.
“The matter has been taken up with Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited to provide a shutdown and within next three months the remaining waste will be shifted to Integrated Solid Waste Management site at Tan Talab, Katra for scientific remediation through bio-mining”, the report said while disclosing that at present 5 tonnes per day of dry waste is being processed by the Municipal Council at the Material Recovery Facility site at Sui Jhakkar and 20 compost pits have been constructed for processing 1.5 tonnes per day wet waste.
Moreover, an alternate piece of land close to the town is being identified for construction of another material recovery facility to process the remaining dry waste and 180 compost pits/windrow composting will be done for processing the remaining wet waste. With respect to Operate Sewage Treatment Plants, permission has been granted by the Pollution Control Committee to all the three plants.
Five hotels, five banquets, eight brick kilns and 12 service stations have been sealed under the provisions of Water and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Laws and closure orders of four hotels and three banquets have been withdrawn by Pollution Control Committee as they have obtained the requisite permissions.
“Twenty encroachments have been removed fully and two partially from the banks of Devika River and the removal or demolition of the remaining encroachments is currently in process and notices in this regard have already been issued to the encroachers”, the Deputy Commissioner has mentioned in the report, adding “all the encroachments are situated on State and Municipal land and are not in any way obstructing the flow of river”.
Further a social audit team has been constituted to assess the quality of works executed under NRCP for the pollution abatement of holy river in Udhampur town. “Strict enforcement measures have been initiated in last six months resulting in booking of approximately 107 violators under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2019”, the report said.
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