news details |
|
|
| Center to fund Rs 1100 Cr Dal project | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, June 22- Assuring Center’s full support in protecting Jammu and Kashmir’s environment and forests, the Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh has said that 40 per cent work of Rs.300 crore Dal cleaning project has been accomplished and the remaining work would be completed within the next two years.
Addressing a jam packed press conference at Srinagar today, the Union Minister said both the state and the central government have agreed to work proactively so that projects taken up for conservation of lakes and forests in the State are completed in a time-bound manner. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was also present at the conference.
The Union Minister disclosed that the State government will create a State Compulsory Afforestation Management Authority shortly so that J&K is in a position to utilize its share of Rs. 181 crore collected by CAMPA for compulsory afforestation projects.
Giving a detailed overview of the prestigious Dal restoration plan, the Union Minister said that after jointly air surveying the lake with Chief Minister, he realized that Dal is not only a lake that needs to be cleansed but an eco and a social system that embeds large number of wetlands and nearly 10,000 families. “In Phase I, the Central government has funded entire Rs. 300 crore for cleaning of the project. While visiting the lake, I have observed that large section of the lake has been cleaned. The State government today presented a comprehensive proposal of Rs.1, 100 crore to save ecosystem of Dal lake by cleaning and rehabilitation of 10,000 families. We need to find the remaining Rs.800 crore for resettlement and rehabilitation of the Dal dwellers,” he said.
Referring to rehabilitation of the Dal dwellers he asked the state government to prepare rehabilitation proposal and assured that he would take up take up the matter with the Prime Minister, Finance Minister and the Planning Commission to see that the entire Rs.1,100 crore is funded by the Centre.
He said three STPs have been set up on Dal and added that the State government is procuring heavy duty de-weeding machines from Finland so that the water of the lake is cleaned in express time. He said he has suggested to the Chief Minister that IIT Rourkee, the institute which made the DPR of the Dal-cleaning project in 2000, be requested to see what work has been done and what more needs to be done. “Also J&K State Pollution Control Board provides quarterly reports on progress of the project,” he said, adding that these reports should be made public so that people have an idea of the status of the work.
The Union Minister suggested the State government to recommend for a special grant to J&K for implementing the historic Dal project. “The 13th Finance Commission is visiting J&K this week. I suggest the State government recommend for a special grant for implementing the project,” he added.
Expressing concern over dwindling of Wullar Lake, which used to be once the largest freshwater lake in Asia, the Union Minister said he attaches highest priority to the restoration of the Wullar Lake which is the mother of all lakes. He assured that Rs.386 crore proposal submitted by the state government would be expedited.
On the Action Plan for cleaning of river Jhelum, the Union Minister said the plan is under discussion and that he would like to take up the project on the analogy of Ganga and Yamuna cleaning plans. “The estimated cost of the cleaning project is Rs.250 crore which envisages setting up STPs at Anantnag, Baramulla, Sopore and Srinagar,” he said, adding that the Chief Minister had agreed to prepare a detailed project report in this regard.
On the issue of Forests, Ramesh said a Forestry Management Project estimated to cost Rs. 600 crore by the Japanese government under the aegis of Japan International Cooperative Agency is pending clearance for two years. “The project has been cleared by Union Environment Ministry. I will take up the issue with Union Finance Ministry so that the project is fast-tracked,” he said.
Ramesh said that the following Supreme Court decision, a Compulsory Afforestation Management Planning Authority (CAMPA) has been created. “Any promoter whether public or private, who diverts forest land to non-forest land, is required to deposit money for compulsory afforestation,” Ramesh said.
The Union Minister said the State’s share of Rs.181 crore out of Rs.11, 000 crore collected by CAMPA nationwide would be made available for compulsory afforestation to J&K soon. He said the issue of retreating of Himalayan glaciers is a serious one as it links with depleting water levels in the country. He said the Centre is monitoring the situation through the help of satellites and will organize a national-level workshop to present the results of the study. “Geologists of Jammu and Kashmir universities are associated with the study. By mid-September, we will be able to tell the extent of retreat of Himalayan glaciers,” he said, assuring that a mechanism would be worked out to prevent the retreat to a point where water level becomes a problem
Later, taking queries from media persons, Ramesh said he was satisfied with the pace of work in the first phase of Dal cleaning project.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
