The water resources in the Jammu and Kashmir have started giving anxiety moments with most of the rivers, tributaries, streams brooks, lakes, wetland and ponds under severe stress. Not a single source of water has been spared to be fit for human consumption.
The
civilizations which came and vanished on the availability of water polluted
every known source with every kind of pollutants.
A
pathetic story from plenty to scarcity has been brought in Indus basin, which
originated from Mansrover, in Tibet drains. Our state right from Hindukush to
Lakhnpur, Jehlum, Chenab, Tawi, Basantar,Ujih, Ravi, Sandran, Brinji, Arapat,
Lidder; Arapal, Harwan, Sind, Erin, Madhumati, pohru, Vijidakil , Vishav,
Reambiara, Romshi, Doodganga, Sukhnag, & Ningal free from caste, creed,
colour & culture serves millions of people before vanishing in Arabian sea.
Unfortunate,
insensitive and uncaring approach of the society, utter disregard to respect,
protect and preserve nature is the root cause. All feel its pinch, yet take it
in its stride There is no dearth of laws apart from moral responsibility of
Civil Society, for ensuring the status of water resources intact in quality and
quantity .What lacks is will to act and implement.
The
little coordination between Institutional systems entrusted by statutory
authority for protection of bio-diversity. Apex Court has implored upon states
to guarantee the fundamental right to life and the right to a wholesome
environment which enjoys upon it an obligatory duty, under constitutions, to
protect and preserve the ecosystem. Protect and improve the natural environment
including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have sustainable
development, the precautionary principle and bio-diversity protection.
The
State has miserably failed to discharge its obligation in absence of monitoring
and controlling the rot compounding the gravity of the situation. J&K
has its own Water Resources Regulatory Authority under the Jammu and
Kashmir state water Resources(Regulation and Management) Act 2010, to monitor ,
protect and improve in the flow of water and the physical
integrity of water courses, lakes and springs Section 3(20 )of the
Act say “no person shall use any water from any source( surface or ground, or
collect or extract any material from such water sources except in
accordance with the provision of the Act Section 81(3) further say that “no
extraction of any kind of material shall be made by any person in the bed or
on the banks of any water source, navigation channel, intake
channel, or flood spill channel without the identification of the site of
extraction by an officer specified empowered in this behalf by the prescribed
authority ,who shall before identifying such site or location ensures that(a)
such extracted material is in a controlled quantity(b)such extraction does not
affect the flow of the water source(c)such extraction does not
affect the functioning of water supply or irrigation schemes in the vicinity
and (d) such persons undertake to remove the extracted bed material
simultaneously in order to ensure normal flow of water in the concerned water
source
The
water (Prevention and Pollution Control) Act1974, empower State Pollution
Control Boards; to provide for the prevent and control of pollution and the
maintain or restoring of wholesome water”, The Wildlife (Protection)Act, 1972
provides for the protection of wild animals, birds and plants; and for matters
connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto, no activity of any sort
can be carried in wildlife area, no disturbance of any sort.
The
Forest(Protection)Act , 1980,empowers forest Department to take all such
measures as it deem necessary or expedient for the purpose of protecting and
improving the quality of the environment and preventing, controlling and
abating environmental pollution The Environment(Protection)Act, 1986 is to take
appropriate steps for the protection and improvement of human
environment, other living creatures, plant and property Geological Survey
of India’s Guidelines under Impacts and Methodology of Systematic and
Scientific Mining in the river bed material” for sustainable riverbed
emphasized to prevent damages to the river regime ,protection and
restoration of the ecological system, So as to assure preservation and
thrive, in stream habitat, riparian habitat, Contain degradation of land,
lowering of groundwater table in flood plain areas, ,polluting Surface , and
ground water Choking of filter material for ingress of ground water from river
Not
a single case is there to cite, of its deliverance enough teeth but no strong
enough to bite. Divisional Commissioners of respective division are
supposed to monitor the enforcement of law, which has dismal track record under
single line administration.
District
Development Commissioner who is also District Magistrate, is squarely
responsible to protect the interest of the government in letter and spirit he
cannot be expected to be sheer file pusher
There
is a dire need is to reign in SARKARI Dada GIRI, lawlessness scenario which
prevails under impacts and methodology of Systematic and Scientific Mining in
the river and Supreme Courts orders under the Chairmanship of Minster for I&FC
dated 12.02-2013 decides and there of instructed that the identification of
sites/stretches for extraction of bed material will be done by PHE.
Moreover,
Irrigation & Flood Control Department in both the provinces ‘ “The G&M
Department must get the Environment Impact Assessment done and Environment
Management Plan approved before granting contract for collection of miner
minerals from river nallah beds Role of authorities such as Pollution control
Board, , Environment Protection, Forest Conservation, Wildlife Protection,
Fisheries ,Municipal Corporation Town area committees to ensure preservation
,improve biodiversity monitor of water quality have let us down
miserably.
Wisdom
is questioned as to allow mining up to six feet in river/nallah water
channels,in the state seems absurd in the view, many rivers are blocked through
Dams, annual sediments are halted upstream , essential for biodiversity
Upper and lower Sindh,Baghliyar,Dulhasti, Salal on Chenab,Ujah, Seva, Ravi ,
there is an sections 168(a) and 168(e) of the Act ,Civil Courts rarely
used Divisional Commissioner, do not take periodical monitoring review meetings
to rope in defaulters, with the result implementing agencies be it be
Irrigation and flood control, Forests, Wildlife Fisheries beside implementing
agencies, Irrigation and flood control constitute inter-departments committees
to ensure activities are carried as per law of the state Quarterly meetings in
between emergent also be called.
By- Bushan Parimoo