Serious note taken of irreversible damage to eco-system
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 21: Taking serious note of irreversible damage caused to the ecology and eco-system of the area due to unscientific dumping of un-segregated and mixed municipal solid waste, the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) has imposed Environmental Compensation to the tune of Rs 11.55 lakh on Executive Officer, Municipal Committee Bhaderwah and submitted a report in this regard to the National Green Tribunal.
Moreover, the Deputy Commissioner Doda has approached the Commissioner Secretary to the Government, Housing and Urban Development Department for assistance in installation of adequate capacity of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) with state-of-the-art technology and laying out of sewerage network so as to prevent pollution of water bodies in Bhaderwah.
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In compliance to the directions issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Original Application regarding increasing pollution in water bodies in Bhaderwah due to illegal and unscientific manner of handling and disposal of the municipal solid waste, JKPCC constituted a committee to assess the status of waste management in Bhaderwah town and adjoining areas.
The committee headed by Divisional Officer Doda of JKPCC after conducting inspection of the areas submitted a report revealing that unscientific dumping of un-segregated/mixed municipal solid waste generated from 18 wards of Bhaderwah town is carried out by the Municipal committee (MC) Bhaderwah in violation to Solid Waste Management Rules 2016. Further, the committee noticed dumping of solid waste on unscientific landfill adjoining “Neeru Nallah” which is grave threat to the water body.
After completion of all the legal formalities, the JKPCC, as per the directions of NGT, has imposed Environmental Compensation to the tune of Rs 11.55 lakh on Executive Officer Municipal Committee Bhaderwah, who has been directed to deposit the amount within 30 days.
“In case of default to pay Environmental Compensation in due time, the violator will be liable to pay Environment Compensation by two times, four times, eight times for 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarter respectively as per the guidelines of Environmental Compensation issued by the Central Pollution Control Board”, read the order issued by the Member Secretary JKPCC.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Doda has informed the NGT that he has approached the Commissioner Secretary to the Government, Housing and Urban Development Department with a request for assistance to the district administration for proper management of municipal solid waste in Bhaderwah town.
He has sought assistance for installation of adequate capacity of STPs with state-of-the-art technology, carrying out survey of colonies/households to quantify the total sewage generation and to accordingly design and layout sewerage network for carrying out sewage from the households to the point of treatment. Further, he has sought help for preparation of project for the installation of STPs keeping in view the future projection/load of pollution generation.
The Deputy Commissioner has further informed the NGT that a committee of officers carried out an extensive survey of all the areas as well as rivers/nullahs. “Although urban parts were identified as the areas of concern, however, the committee identified and submitted a detailed list of problems observed in all areas”, he said.
Accordingly, based on the report of the committee as well as framework provided by JKPCC a detailed action plan was jointly prepared to mitigate the issue. “Pursuant to implementation of various actions by stakeholders as per the action plan, water samples were taken out by JKPCC from seven different locations and tested. The results of the samples have been found to be within the permissible limits”, the DC has informed the NGT.
“In spite of the results which validate the effectiveness of the actions taken so far to mitigate the issue, the district administration is closely monitoring the status of the actions identified in the action plan”, read the communication of DC to NGT.
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