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| Environmental degradation on rise | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Nov 6
Environmental degradation in different forms of air, water, and noise pollution goes on unchecked in Jammu and Kashmir with concerned authorities including State Pollution Control Board and other agencies sleeping over what environmentalists say "a ticking time bomb'.
A professor at the Environmental Sciences department of Jammu University told News Agency of Kashmir that pollution in varied forms has been causing environmental degradation in the state and consequently glaciers in Jammu and Kashmir are now melting at a faster pace, threatening the survival of habitations in low lying areas."
Attributing the problem to rapid deforestation and rampant use of fossil fuels he says, "Solution lies in aforestation and adopting solar, nuclear, hydro-power, wind and geo-thermal energies in place of fossil fuels."
It may be recalled here that over 30,000 green trees had come under the axe last year for widening the Kunjwani-Sidhra bypass road and countless trees were also felled under four-lane project of NHAI right from Lakhanpur to Jammu.
The green patches around winter capital, called lungs of the city, have been shrinking at a faster pace while air-pollution including green house gases has been increasing day by day.
He said that haphazard industrialization in Jammu and Kashmir in the backdrop of faulty checks and constantly increasing number of automobiles has been adding to emission of greenhouse gases. Automobiles continue to spew carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and lead, not only polluting the air but also disturbing the heat and radiation balance of earth's atmosphere.
"Per capita number of vehicles have increased manifold in Jammu in particular and the whole state in general," he said, adding "as compared to population density and area vis-à-vis Tokyo , Jammu today has more vehicles."
"These vehicles have been adding to air pollution without any serious exercise by the government to check emissions of greenhouse gases," he said.
An environmentalist researching air pollution in the winter capital told News Agency of Kashmir that even though SPM (Suspended Particulate Matter) in the forms of oxides of nitrogen and sulphur dioxide are touching permissible limits of 200 SPM but they get dispersed because of the topography.
However, he questioned the integrity of government approved private pollution checking centres set up for automobiles, both commercial and private.
"They simply take money and issue certificates in return little bothering about harmful emissions," he added
A senior official in the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) admitted that SPCB has buried its head Ostrich like to the increasing air and water pollution in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said, "Haphazard industrialization in the wake of faulty checks of emissions and effluents by SPCB have been degrading environment across the state."
He told News Agency of Kashmir that chemicals required for checking air pollutants like carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide in the SPM are not available with the scientists in SPCB.
He also disclosed that No Objection Certificate from SPCB for setting up industrial units was just an eye-wash.
"Under rules every industrial unit in the state has to submit a self monitoring report to SPCB after every six months but private testing laboratories issue these reports in lieu of money, he said."
About water pollution he said, "In 1972 Gadigarh Nallah had nearly 50 species of fishes, three of prawns, one of crab, five of tortoises and had a wide diversity of flora and fauna, but today it has become an industrial drain because the effluents."
"Around 23 channels of waste discharge continuing to flow directly or indirectly into Tawi River from Kishenpur Manwal right up to Makwal badly polluting the river," he said.
"Waste discharge of Regional Research Laboratory still flow into Tawi River," he added.
PHE, it may be mentioned here, lifts water from Tawi for supplying to the people of winter capital and Jammu Municipal Corporation in a recent survey had found 32 out of 33 water samples unfit for human consumption |
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