Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, June 11: The Committee on Environment (EC) of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today recommended that all the Deputy Commissioners must act as Nodal officers for safeguarding the environment at all levels. It also suggested that district administration should formulate action plans for conservation of wet lands, forests and springs.
The Committee, which met under the Chairmanship of MLA, Mr. M. Y. Tarigami here today and discussed various issues related to the protection of environment. The Committee members included Mr. Mohammad Sharief Naiz, Mr. A. R. Veeri, Dr. Shafi Ahmad Wani, Mr. Mohammad Khalil Bandh, Mr. Yashpual Kundal, Mr. Mohammad Ashraf Ganie and Mr. Durga Dass. The panel suggested that the District Administrations should also constitute the expert environmental Committees at district and block levels to assist the Deputy Commissioners in the process of safeguarding and protection of environment. It also recommended that they should organize awareness programmes and seminars involving the environmental experts, Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) besides the senior citizens to create awareness about the environment protection among the people. While carrying out the developmental activities within the respective districts, the environmental concerns should be taken well care of, the Committee observed. Detailed discussion was held on use of ploythene and the panel stressed on complete ban on the use of ploythene in the nook and corner of the State.
Threadbare discussion was held on establishment of dumping site in Srinagar district and in this pursuit the Committee recommended for constituting a committee comprising of District Development Commissioner Srinagar, Director Health Services Kashmir, Principal Government Medical College, Srinagar and Regional Director Pollution Control Board who will identify the land in Srinagar District for the purpose and submit their report within ten days to the Committee for its scrutiny.
Earlier, the Commissioner Secretary Housing and Urban Development Mr. Jeet Lal briefed the Committee about the safeguards of the environment in different aspects. Among others, District Development Commissioner (DDC) Baramulla, Mr. G. A. Khawaja, DDC Bandipora, Mr. M. Y Zargar, DDC, Ganderbal, Mr. Sarmad Hafiz, Chief Wild life Warden, Mr. A K Singh, Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Dr. G. N. Qasba, Director Health Service Kashmir, Dr. Saleem -ur-Rehman, Director Local Bodies, Kashmir, Mr. Shafat N. Barlas and other senior officers from environment and remote sensing, Pollution control Board, Revenue, Health and medical education departments besides Assembly Secretariat attended the meeting. |
