*Wonders lack of solid waste mgmt in capital city
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 29: Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests today expressed shock over appalling condition of River Tawi and attributed the same to the lack of required attention from the concerned authorities. The panel has also wondered how Jammu is called Capital City when it is not having proper solid waste management and sewerage treatment facilities.
During threadbare discussions with the stakeholders on the issues pertaining to environmental degradation and the steps being taken to preserve the fragile ecology of Jammu region, the Parliamentary Standing Committee Chairman Ashwani Kumar said, “I visited Jammu after 15 years and I am shocked to see the appalling condition of Tawi river, which is also called Surya Putri”, adding “this river has virtually been rendered a garbage dumping site and it seems that concerned authorities are watching the situation as mute spectator”.
According to sources privy to the proceedings of the meeting, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Panel asked the Commissioner of Jammu Municipal Corporation to mobilize resources for cleaning of the river. “The preservation of water resources should be prioritized and whatever number of manpower is required should be engaged without wasting any more time so that garbage littered on the banks of the river is removed”, they said quoting the directions issued by the Chairman of the panel, adding the panel also directed that adequate steps should be taken to ensure that garbage is not thrown in Tawi in future and whosoever does so should be taken to task under law.
The Parliamentary Panel also noted with serious concern lack of focus on sewerage treatment and solid waste management facilities in the capital city. “I wonder how Jammu is called capital city without having these facilities, which are imperative to check environment degradation”, sources said quoting the remarks of the head of the panel.
“It is really shocking that while such facilities are available in many small cities in other parts of the country, there is no focus on this vital aspect of environment preservation”, sources further said quoting the statement made by Ashwani Kumar.
The Parliamentary Panel was further shocked to know that 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, sources said, adding it was brought to the notice of the panel that an amount of Rs 31 crore was required to provide house connections.
The Parliamentary Panel announced that Union Government’s concerned Ministry would be requested for release of funds to meet the requirement of funds for providing house connections. The panel also directed the concerned departments to work in synergy to prepare realistic plan for sewerage and solid waste management.
The panel also expressed concern over slow progress on formulation of new Master Plan and said, “since under Master Plan 2031 vast area is planned to be incorporated, steps should be taken for its immediate freezing to check free run of land mafia, which has already grabbed huge chunk of land in and around Jammu city”.
“Unless this is done, there would be serious problems in implementation of Master Plan on ground”, sources said quoting the observation made by the panel in the meeting. The Parliamentary Panel suggested that solid waste management plan should be well envisaged and incorporated in the Master Plan to cater to the increasing population and to provide better quality of life to the people.
Moreover, the panel stressed that in the Master Plan special provisions should be made for green spaces and parks, which act as lungs of a city. Divisional Commissioner was directed to submit a comprehensive report on Master Plan.
On noise pollution, the panel directed the Divisional Commissioner to ensure stern action against those vehicles which contribute in this type of pollution as World Health Organization study says that noise pollution leads to stress, which further gives birth to many ailments.
The members of the Parliamentary Panel suggested taking up of plantation on a large scale and setting up of local nurseries to meet the requirement of saplings. They also called for intensifying action against encroachment of forest land and strict enforcement of laws.
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