Last Updated on March 10, 2022 at 4:13 pm
Jammu and Kashmir government has been imposed with Rs. 3 crore penalty by National Green Tribunal on Tuesday. J&K government has been slashed with penalty for failure in protecting the environment of water bodies in Kashmir and in preventing pollution in Doodh Ganga river.
The bench headed by Justice A K Goel said, “The violations found include dumping of waste on the banks of the river, discharge of untreated sewage into the river, unregulated illegal mining activities, and failure to protect the embankments of the river.”
The NGT order said that the State be held liable to pay an interim compensation of Rs 1 crore each under all the three heads (solid waste, liquid waste, and Illegal mining) which is to be deposited in a separate account of Deputy Commissioner Budgam to be utilised for the restoration of the environment.
The report, NGT said, may specify status of facilities to treat sewage as well as fecal sludges, protection of flood plain, lifting of waste from the banks of Doodh Ganga and Mamath Khul to the identified sites and processing it as per SWM rules, cow dung management and other associated issues. “In view of large scale continuing violations, we consider it appropriate to direct that the Principal Secretary, Urban Development, J&K to remain present in person on the next date by Video Conferencing for interaction”, NGT further directed.
The NGT said that it is failure of the State to save these water bodies from pollutants and directed the Chief Secretary, J&K to take immediate remedial action by ensuring clean environment and also taking measures against the irresponsible officers, acting in contempt of directions of the Supreme Court and the Tribunal.
