Bashir Assad
Jammu, Nov 20: Beyond the claims of National Highway Authority of India that 60% work on the Chenani-Nashri Tunnel on Jammu- Srinagar National Highway has been completed , it could take another three and a half years to make it motorable.
The Project Director National Highway of India, according to reliable sources told the Committee on Environment of the J&K Legislature headed by M Y Tarigami, few days ago that 60% work on the Chenani-Nashri Tunnel has been completed but added that it would take another one year for excavation process and two and a half years to complete the construction work.
Sources said on muck disposal sites on the National Highway, implementation of labour laws in letter and spirit, dumping sites, effluent discharge from the STPs, water quality of Mara and Champari Nallas being affected due to flowing of untreated discharge of tunneling activities and noise level measured near the tunnel constructing sites beyond permissible limits for bringing further improvement and containing the environmental pollution in the area, the Member Secretary Polution Control Board has said the internal mechanism and monitoring report has already been sent to the Assembly secretariat.
However, sources said the Committee directed constituting of Committees headed by respective District Development Commissioners, representatives from Pollution Control Board, Department of Environment, Project Director National Highway Authority and other executing agencies for identifying the dumping sites on National Highway and to inform the Environment Committee about the progress.
The Committee recommended that the executing Agencies should comply with the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986 along with the Rules and Protocols, respect the human dignity principles under the relevant provisions of Labour Act and related Labour welfare legislations. It also recommended that the Pollution Control Board should closely monitor the pollution standards near the sites and also provide expert opinion to the user agency besides ensuring compliance of various Acts.
The Committee recommended that the authorities should at all costs avoid excessive force against the labour class in view of their legitimate and justified demands. |
