Budgam, March 5: A delegation of the J&K Climate Action Group (JKCAG) and the JK RTI Movement on Thursday met the newly posted Deputy Commissioner Budgam, Athar Amir Khan, and raised several issues related to environmental protection, land compensation and waste management in the district.
The delegation, led by Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, formally welcomed the Deputy Commissioner on assuming charge as District Magistrate Budgam and presented him with a cypress plant as a token of appreciation. The group also submitted a memorandum highlighting concerns over environmental degradation in the district, particularly illegal earth mining, riverbed mining and waste management.
During the interaction, the delegation expressed concern over the non-payment of compensation to landowners affected by the Ring Road project in Wathoora area of Chadoora. According to the group, the compensation award had already been prepared by the Collector Land Acquisition and forwarded to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in November last year.
The delegation also raised issues related to plantation on degraded land around Karewas, granting grazing rights to pastoralist communities and declaring tourist destinations such as Yousmarg, Doodhpathri and Tosamaidan as plastic-free zones.
Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat also appreciated the role played by Athar Amir Khan during his tenure as Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Commissioner in facilitating the establishment of sewage treatment plants (STPs) on the Doodh Ganga.
Referring to the recent foundation stone laid by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for STPs on the Doodh Ganga, Bhat said the delegation urged the Deputy Commissioner to ensure efficient implementation of the project downstream from Chadoora to Mochwa Bagh-e-Mehtab, for which around ₹63 crore has been sanctioned.
“The Deputy Commissioner assured us that he will soon convene a meeting with officers of the Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED) to ensure the use of appropriate technology for the project. He also said consultations with reputed institutions across the country could be considered,” Bhat said.
The delegation also discussed the need for regulating earth and riverbed mining activities in the district by ensuring proper environmental clearances from competent authorities.
Besides Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, the delegation included Dr Rouf Malik, Mir Mushtaq, Advocate Shakir Parray and Gulzar Ahmad.
