KISHTWAR, Dec 01: Taking serious note of continuous soil erosion in many parts of the Kishtwar district despite plantation of whopping 16 lakh trees, Chairman of the committee on Environment of J&K Legislative Assembly, Mr. G. M Saroori has constituted a panel headed by Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar to dig out the truth.
The J&K Legislative Assembly (JKLA) empowered Committee headed by, MLA, Inderwal, G. M Saroori and Legislators Dr. Krishan Lal, Mumtaz Khan, Gulzar Ahmed Wani, Naresh Gupta, Shyam Lal Bhagat and Firdous Ahmed Tak took the meeting with district administration at new DC complex Kishtwar.
During its visit to different parts of Kishtwar and inspection of various power projects has come across several complaints vis-à-vis continuous soil erosion in the areas in the vicinity of Dul Hasti project reservoir. The Committee has also received complaints regarding soil erosion in those areas which were provided road connectivity under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
While taking meeting of district officers at Kishtwar, the Committee on Environment came to know that Social Forestry Department planted around 16 lakh trees to stabilize soil in the vicinity of Dul Hasti power project and in numerous other areas where rural roads were constructed under Union Government’s flagship scheme of PMGSY, Committee wondered as to how soil erosion can continue despite plantation of such a large number of trees.
Noting that ground situation was not in consonance with the plantation figures provided by the officers, the Chairman of the Committee on Environment, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori constituted a committee headed by Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar to dig out the truth and submit report within next 15 days, adding the Chairman of the Committee has also decided to seek information from the Chief Conservator of Forests to ascertain the results yielded by compulsory afforestation in Kishtwar district and the funds actually utilized for the purpose.
The Committee while talking tough against the NHPC for their failure in preserving and conserving the environment in Chenab valley directed the state Pollution Control Board (PCB) not to issue any No Objection Certificates (NOCs) in favour of NHPC and JKPCC till both the companies fulfill their commitment towards safe guarding the environment.
While deliberating over the issue, Chairman of the committee Ghulam Mohammad Saroori said that NHPC fails to fulfill its commitment under corporate sector added that even after several years, NHPC fails to construct safety tanks within its premises as a result of which the dirty water and other hazardous waste material flooded on the streets of Kishtwar town threatening the health of masses. He said that NHPC also fails to carry out any major welfare initiative which gives boost to the environment, added that company is eying to tap waste power potential on river Chenab, but at the same time fails to spend a single penny on the preservation of environment.
The committee further directed DC Kishtwar to constitute the committee of Geological experts to verify the claims made by MLC Firdous Tak regarding sinking of adjoining villages around Dool Dam and directed the NHPC to take all measures to safe guard the interest of the people living in villages around power projects.
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