The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken serious note of the alarming pollution levels in the Doodh Ganga and Mamath Kull rivulets in Kashmir, directing local authorities to address the crisis immediately.
The NGT has also imposed Environmental Compensation (EC) penalties on the relevant departments.
In July 2024, the NGT team will inspect the Achan landfill site and engage with the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and local residents. The Tribunal expressed strong displeasure over the lack of meaningful remedial action by state authorities, despite serious violations identified by a joint committee.
The NGT warned that failure to establish the required treatment facilities by the Supreme Court’s stipulated timeline of March 31, 2018, would result in the prosecution of the concerned government secretaries. Authorities have been directed to take disciplinary action and impose compensation for ongoing waste management failures that harm the environment and public health.
The Doodh Ganga and Mamath Kull rivers, tributaries of the Jhelum River, are severely polluted by untreated sewage and illegal dumping of municipal solid waste, posing significant risks to the environment and the health of nearby communities.
Raja Muzaffer Bhat, the applicant, noted that the Doodh Ganga river originates from the Pir Panjal mountains and becomes heavily polluted as it flows through the Budgam and Srinagar districts. The river’s water is used by the Public Health Department’s filtration plant at Kralpora, supplying drinking water to about 500,000 residents.
Similarly, the Mamath Kull stream is polluted by unscientific dumping of municipal solid waste, including hazardous biomedical waste from local hospitals and clinics, along its banks in the Budgam district. This waste eventually flows into the Jhelum River, causing widespread environmental degradation.
In response to these concerns, the NGT formed a five-member joint committee to investigate. The committee’s report, filed in January 2022, confirmed serious violations, including waste dumping on river banks, discharge of untreated sewage, and unregulated illegal mining activities.
To address sewage pollution, authorities have proposed constructing several modular sewage treatment plants (STPs) to treat the waste flowing into the Doodh Ganga.
These STPs, with a total capacity of 12.25 million liters per day, are expected to be operational within 18 months under the AMRUT-2 scheme. Additionally, the Jal Shakti Department has proposed a comprehensive 125.5 MLD sewerage scheme for Srinagar city, including the polluted stretch of the Doodh Ganga. This long-term project, awaiting funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), aims to provide a permanent solution to the river’s sewage problems.
On the solid waste management front, authorities have initiated measures such as door-to-door waste collection in all urban local bodies (ULBs) in the region. They have also prohibited illegal dumping of waste near riverbanks and identified sites for decentralized solid waste management facilities in all ULBs of Budgam district.
The state government has approved a decentralized solid waste management action plan for all 76 ULBs in Jammu and Kashmir, costing approximately Rs 191.67 crore. This plan includes bio-methanation plants, waste management centers, and aerated pit composting plants to manage solid waste effectively.
The NGT has directed the JKPCC and the Secretary, Department of Environment, to comply with the Supreme Court’s order within three months and file a compliance affidavit immediately afterward. The Member Secretary, J&K PCC, shall impose and recover EC, following the principles of ‘Natural Justice,’ within three months and submit an action-taken report before the next hearing.
The Tribunal noted that the J&K PCC issued show-cause notices to the Municipal Council, Budgam, and Chadoora, proposing EC of Rs. 372.1761 lakhs and Rs. 141.43 lakhs for illegal waste dumping. However, these notices lacked details on the violation period and the quantity of waste.
The Member Secretary, J&K PCC, must issue detailed show-cause notices to avoid technical lapses that could benefit the defaulting bodies. EC for illegal riverbed mining will be calculated separately.
With the pollution of these rivers posing a direct threat to local lives and livelihoods, authorities in Jammu and Kashmir are under immense pressure to expedite the proposed solutions and restore these vital water bodies.