The State Administrative Council (SAC) has approved the proposal of the Housing and Urban Development Department for implementation of the project “Pollution Abatement of River Devika and River Tawi at Udhampur town” under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP). It may be noted that the National River Conservation Plan is a centrally funded scheme. Its chief aim is preventing the pollution of rivers. It has a mechanism by which information is furnished in respect of each State on amount sanctioned for which city and for which specific purpose. Devika river having with it the religious feelings of millions of people is the first river from the State of Jammu and Kashmir to be included in the NRCP and now Rs. 1286 crore project stands approved for it.
Since the State has only to contribute a paltry 10 percent of the project as the Centrally sponsored scheme is on 90:10 funding pattern, it is hoped that the pollution abatement work on both the rivers will not suffer in any way as both the rivers are considered holy by the people. The cause of concern is that both the rivers are plagued by increasing levels of pollution and the silt deposition too is on the rise with the passing of each year. As sewerage plants are basic to fighting pollution of rivers, it is learnt that 3 sewage treatment plants are proposed to be constructed. In addition, development of two cremation ghats on North and South side, development of 2 vending ghats, protection fencing and landscaping etc form the broad proposal of fighting or abatement of pollution.
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