NGT comes to the rescue of Kashmir’s Doodh Ganga

DR RAJA MUZAFFAR BHAT writes about the extensive pollution of the Doodh Ganga river in Kashmir caused by government agencies over the last several years, and the government's failure to even acknowledge, let alone address, the problem in spite of his efforts. Finally, he had to resort to approaching the National Green Tribunal, which, in a recent order, constituted a joint committee to inquire into the matter.

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AS authorities failed to act over the continuous pollution of Doodh Ganga, a major tributary of Kashmir's Jhelum River, the National Green Tribunal (NGT), while taking the issue seriously, has issued a direction for the constitution of a five-member joint committee for submission of a factual report before the tribunal.

NGT's principal bench, headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, in a detailed order dated October 18, said:

"It appears that there is continued violation of the Water Act to the prejudice of the environment and public health which remains unchecked. Thus, intervention of the Tribunal may be called for. Accordingly, we direct the authorities to verify the facts and take remedial action in accordance with law. We also constitute a five-member Joint Committee of CPCB, J&K PCC, Deputy Commissioners, Srinagar and Budgam and the Director, Urban Local Bodies, J&K. The State PCB will be the nodal agency for compliance and coordination. The Joint Committee may meet within two weeks and undertake visits to the sites in question "

Also read: J&K's Wasteland: How Its Valleys, Rivers and Lakes Became Garbage Dumps

Why I moved the National Green Tribunal

I was prompted to file a petition before the NGT as administrative authorities in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, the District Administration of Budgam and the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies, Kashmir did not act to protect the Doodh Ganga even as the matter was brought to their notice by me several times in the last five years.