Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 24: The J&K Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC), following the direction of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), has imposed a penalty of over Rs 41 crore on the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) as environmental compensation for discharging untreated liquid waste into Doodh Ganga.
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This action was taken by the JKPCC under NGT orders, which called for an assessment of environmental compensation based on the Polluter Pays Principle (PPP) in the case of Raja Muzaffar Bhat versus J&K Government and others.
In this regard, an official order (No: 33-JKPCC of 2024, dated 19.10.2024) was submitted before the NGT on Wednesday, directing the SMC Commissioner to deposit the amount into JKPCC’s bank account within 30 days.
“In compliance with the NGT’s directions dated 10.07.2024 in OA 241/2021, environmental compensation amounting to Rs 41,47,61,000 is hereby levied upon the Commissioner of Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Srinagar, under the Polluter Pays Principle (PPP), with instructions to deposit the amount within 30 days,” read the JKPCC order.
According to the petitioner, SMC set up 6 to 8 pumping stations after the 2014 floods using World Bank funds at Doodh Ganga locations in Chanapora, Natipora, Barzulla, Bulbul Bagh and Tengpora for flood mitigation purposes.
“But these pump houses, according to the petitioner, were discharging untreated liquid waste into Doodh Ganga in clear violation of the Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1974,” the petition stated.
The case was brought to the NGT’s attention by Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat some years ago under OA No: 241/2021 through his counsel, Advocate Rahul Chowdhary.
The tribunal initially imposed an interim compensation of Rs 1 crore on the SMC, along with Rs 1 crore each on the Municipal Committee Chadoora and Municipal Committee Budgam.
Additionally, the District Mineral Officer of Budgam was fined Rs 1 crore for failing to curb illegal riverbed mining in Doodh Ganga. A further Rs 32 crore penalty was later imposed on the Government, with the amount earmarked for Doodh Ganga’s restoration.
Following NGT orders, the Government also gave administrative approval for a Rs 140 crore project to establish several Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) along Doodh Ganga.
The petitioner noted that the Executive Engineer UEED invited tenders worth Rs 46 crore, but land for the project was not provided by the Revenue Department. This was communicated in writing to the NGT by the Chief Engineer UEED Kashmir a few days ago.
“I am grateful to the NGT for coming to our rescue, as there has been a complete administrative failure within the SMC and other Government institutions over the past several years. The officers responsible for these faulty constructions and pump stations should also be identified and penalized. I am confident that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will take this matter seriously,” said Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat, the petitioner in the case.
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