Harsh Dev Singh
The GoI announced an ambitious Project in 2015 to develop 100 cities of the country as Smart Cities. Jammu City was initially not included within the ambit of the scheme. So as usual the people of Jammu had to take to streets and to take recourse to protests and demonstrations so as to avail the benefit of the scheme. Nothing new in so far as the protests of the people of Jammu are concerned. They always have to resort to agitational course to get even their legitimate dues. And it has now been accepted as fact accompli. The continued protests yielded results and Jammu was included within the ambit of Smart City Mission. The announcement was made with a big bang with re-assurances of Jammu to be developed on modern lines within a period of 5 years. The highly ambitious targets envisaged for achievement enkindled lots of hopes amongst the people.
The Smart City Project for Jammu envisioned smart infrastructure, advanced connected streets, water management ensuring potable water monitoring, water outflows, chemical leakages, pollution levels and waste management, smart parking management, smart city surveillance with video analytics, control of Air, noise pollution, earthquake detection system, smart kiosks, provision of sensors and actuators, radiation level, automatic health care dispatch, fire management systems, public security, smart grids and mechanism for control of explosive and hazardous gases etc etc. The project aroused lots of expectations amongst the people of the Dogra land. Smart City developed on modern, scientific lines would be great boon to City of Temples, it was felt. It would give a new facelift to the historical city of Jammu. It would promote tourism and boost the economy of the entire region in addition to Jammu City, it was believed. People would not only be provided with all civil amenities on scientific lines but their environmental concerns would be duly addressed while curbing the ever rising pollution levels thus assuring a healthy hygienic and comfortable life for the citizens. Five years down the line, it is time to assess the ground situation. In the light of what was promised to us. There are repeated statements in the media of a lot having been done. But what progress have we actually achieved and what is actually visible on ground. And whether we have really progressed or regressed? Let us introspect a bit.
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in its recently held Swachh-Survekshan for 2019-20 had declared Jammu as the dirtiest city. Not only the recent survey but the 2018 survey conducted by Union Urban Development Ministry had also declared Jammu as a tail ender in the ‘Ease of living Index’, Jammu has been placed at 95th rank out the 111 cities whose survey was conducted by the Union Ministry. And similarly, in the ‘Swachh-Survekshan Survey’ 2017, Jammu city had been declared as dirtiest with Leh, Srinagar, Anantnag ranking higher in the said survey based on solid waste management including door to door collection, processing and disposal, ODF status, citizens’ feedback and independent observation.
Leave aside the reports of the Union Ministry. Let’s give a peep into the streets of Jammu City. Even a cursory look would reveal the most traumatic condition under which the residents are being made to live. The highly deficient and defective drainage system, open pits and leakage of water supply pipes, lack of sewerage treatment plants, heaps of garbage and illegal dumping of municipal solid waste, leakages etc. have posed serious hazards to the human health in the Jammu City. Anything more than a drop makes our drains overflow. Lanes, drains, manholes, pipes template all leaking present a horrible spectable. And with none to take note, the people are learning to get acclimatized to the prevailing situation. We can rightly be compared with amphibians, breathing will gills when in water, with lungs when on ground and still no complaints. The pathetic scenario was idle for the growth of harmful bacteria and parasites which could manifest and spread diseases like Dengue, Malaria, Cholera and other deadly influenza during summers and monsoons in a situation wherein we are already suffering from the deadly fallout of the most notorious Covid-19 pandemic.
Not only the highly unhygienic conditions in the city had created on alarm but the frequent media reports that 95 million liters of untreated sewage was being dumped into River Tawi on daily basis had failed to awaken the authorities concerned with the orders of the Courts being also treated casually. Coupled with the abysmally noxious situation was the chaotic traffic scenario which had made things worse confounded. Besides large scale encroachments, mushroom growth of pollution creating units in and around Jammu City including brick kilns, stone crushers, hot mix plants had caused huge air and water pollution thereby adversely impacting the well being of the people besides contributing in Jammu having been dubbed as the dirtiest city.
Jammu City is known for its historical as well as religious significance. We all have to raise our voice to ensure that this City of Temples gets its dues in terms of development, maintenance and up-gradation. We all have to ensure that its pristine glory is restored and it becomes a worthwhile place to live a healthy and hygienic life. The rulers have to be made responsive and accountable. Merely dubbing it as Smart City would only evoke cynicism amongst the not so docile people of Jammu.
(The author is Chairman-JKNPP and former Minister J&K)
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