JAMMU, Dec 5: Environmental Compensation to the tune of Rs 11.55 lakh has been recovered from the Municipal Committee Bhaderwah by the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) for unscientific dumping of un-segregated and mixed municipal solid waste and notices have been issued to over 125 private households and Government undertakings for polluting water bodies in Bhaderwah.
This has been disclosed by the Pollution Control Committee of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in the report submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which has taken serious note of increasing pollution badly affecting water bodies in Bhaderwah.
“The Executive Officer, Municipal Committee Bhaderwah has deposited Environmental Compensation amounting to Rs 11.55 lakh, which was levied upon him for unscientific dumping of un-segregated and mixed municipal solid waste”, Member Secretary of JKPCC has conveyed to the green panel, adding “a three-member committee has also been formed to identify defaulters including private households and Government undertakings, which are discharge waste directly into the water bodies within the Municipal limits”.
Till date, notices have been issued to 130 persons and these public notices will be placed in the Lok Adalat and relevant action will be taken as per the directives to be received from the Lok Adalat, the report said.
Over 17 kanals of land has also been identified at Gatha, about 5 kilometers from Bhaderwah town, for construction of Sewage Treatment Plant and the Director Urban Local Bodies Jammu has been requested to hire the consultant for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the project, the report further said.
Disclosing that a robust system of monitoring using CCTVs to ensure that no dumping of waste takes place into Puneja Nullah by the residential and commercial establishments has proved pivotal in keeping it clean from waste, the Member Secretary JKPCC said, “as the cameras will assist in monitoring and enforcing waste management practices more effectively more CCTVs will be installed on the other tributaries of Neeru River passing through Municipal Committee Bhaderwah”.
“Puneja Nullah, Neeru Nullah and Halyan Nullah originating from rural areas carry large quantities of plastic and other waste, which often gets choked within the Municipal limits thereby affecting water bodies as such Block Development Officer has been directed to take necessary measures to manage and reduce the flow of waste into these Nullahs to prevent further pollution of water bodies within the limits of Municipal Committee Bhaderwah”, the report said.
As per the report, the Deputy Commissioner Doda has submitted requirement of Rs 9 crore for 10 components/construction activities related to solid/liquid waste management in Municipal Committee Bhaderwah to the Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department and approval and release of funds are awaited
About Teligarh Resorts owned by the Tourism Department, the report said that Detailed Project Report for installation of 2 STPs has been prepared and administrative approval for an amount of Rs 34.66 lakh has been accorded by the Chief Executive Officer, Bhaderwah Development Authority.
Moreover, Block Development Officer Bhaderwah has prepared a time-bound action plan for decentralized waste water treatment system, plastic waste management unit, seven community sanitary complexes, 32 community compost pits and 32 soakage pits and purchase of eight vehicles for door-to-door collection through own source revenue.
After going through the report of JKPCC, a Bench of NGT comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi (Judicial Member) and Dr A Senthil Vel (Expert Member) directed, “further progress reports regarding action taken in compliance of the action plan prepared by the Doda district administration specifically with reference to remedial measures required to be taken for protection and improvement of environment may be filed at least one week before the date of hearing fixed”.
