Srinagar- The Jammu and Kashmir government has finally developed a detailed project worth ₹140 crore to clean the Doodh Ganga river, a major tributary of the Jhelum in Srinagar. The Doodh Ganga serves as a crucial source of drinking water for Srinagar uptown and Budgam.
The project, outlined in a status report submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) by the Housing and Urban Department of J&K, will be taken-up in a phased manner and is expected to be completed by 2025.
According to the report, the action plan for the implementation of sewage projects has been taken and the tenders will be floated on 30 April 2024.
However, the tribunal, in an order dated April 3, 2024 said, in that action plan, the capacity of STP, number of household connections to the STP and the connection status have not been disclosed.
“In column no. 5 of the tabulated information, the date of AAA (end date) is disclosed as 15.03.2024, but on enquiry, Mr. Narinder Khakuria, Special Secretary, Housing & UD Deptt., appearing virtually, has admitted that the said end date has not been adhered to,” the order reads.
NGT has also come down heavily on the Municipal Corporation of Srinagar, Municipal Committee Budgam and Municipal Committee Chadoora for not taking serious efforts in restoring the river.
Earlier, in 2022, the Principal Bench of National Green Tribunal imposed a penalty of Rs 35 Crore on the Jammu & Kashmir administration for failing to prevent the discharge of untreated sewage into the Doodh Ganga, and Mamath Kull (stream) in Srinagar and Budgam districts.
The report that was submitted by the Housing and Urban Department of J&K states that the legacy waste existed at Mamath Kull under Municipal Council, Budgam has been lifted and processed at Tral under the on-going biomining work contract. However, the NGT raised concerns about a separate Rs 32.94 lakh DPR created for an unclear purpose after claiming waste removal completion.
The NGT order, a copy of which lies with Kashmir Observer, reads, “We also find that along with the report are the minutes of meeting held on 17.02.2024 regarding compliance of direction issued on 07.02.2024 and the said minutes of meeting records the stand of representative of PCB in respect of pollution of river as under:
The representative of Pollution Control Board has expressed that the 2 rivers are still polluted and measures need to be taken to arrest the drainage of garbage and untreated sewage in Doodh Ganga and Mamath Kull due to which water quality is deteriorating day by day.”
Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, RTI activist had filed an objection to the report along with the proof to the government’s report on February 2, 2024 stating that the waste is still dumped on the bank of rivers and there is no progress at the end of the authorities.
Dr Bhat pointed out that sewage is being discharged in the river and the same polluted water from the river is pumped for drinking purposes which is creating health hazards.
The NGT order acknowledges the lack of significant progress despite previous directives and the seriousness of the situation. It warns of imposing environmental compensation on violators for breaching environmental norms.
“The above sequence of events clearly revealed that though substantial time has lapsed after passing of initial order by the Tribunal and bringing it to the notice of local authorities, the gravity of the situation, yet no serious efforts have been made by the local bodies,” the order reads, adding, “Hence, the only option left is to impose Environmental Compensation (EC) on the violators for continuous violation of environmental norms.”
The matter has been adjourned to the next date giving opportunity to the government to argue on the issue of imposition of EC on the next date of hearing.
The NGT order said the government may file their response in this regard at least one week before the next date of hearing.
Notably, Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat in his application has submitted that a large amount of discharge of sewage and solid waste is being dumped in rivers Doodh Ganga and Mamath Kull.
He further stated that no STPs has been established by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation or any other Government Body in the entire stretch around river Doodh Ganga as a result of which all the untreated sewage from residentials, commercial establishments, shopping malls, butcher houses, poultry shops, laboratories, diagnostic centres and domestic sewage are directly discharged into the river without any scientific treatment.
He submitted that a large number of Municipal Solid Wastes are unscientifically dumped on the banks of river Doodh Ganga and during the present rainy season there is a grave danger of the entire waste to be flowing into the river which is a tributary to River Jhelum.
“SMC is continuously discharging untreated sewage in river Doodh Ganga from 13 dewatering pumping stations installed at various locations on the banks of river Doodh Ganga,” Bhat had submitted.
“There is a grave danger of the entire waste flowing into the stream which eventually meets River Jhelum, thereby causing major environmental degradation.”
The Tribunal had passed an order on August 18, 2021, taking note of grievance, and repeatedly took up the matter, but “till now, no improvement at the ground level has been noticed,” NGT said in the order.
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