Committee on Environment (EC) of J&K Legislative Assembly today recommended for a committee to be constituted to check the air pollution levels in Chenani-Nashri Tunnel and the mechanisms being adopted by NHAI, other concerned authorities to regulate the air pollution in the tunnel.The Committee which met here under the Chairmanship of MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, here today, took up discussions on various pertinent concerns including status of air pollution in Chenani-Nashri Tunnel besides measures initiated by R&B department while executing road projects in the state.Legislators, Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, Ch Mohammad Akram, Syed Baqir Rizvi, Ishfaq Sheikh Jabbar, Bashir Ahmed Dar, Daleep Singh Parihar, Neelam Kumar Langeh, Rajesh Gupta and Anjum Fazili attended the meeting.Committee on Environment asked the Commissioner Secretary, R&B to constitute this committee comprising of senior officers from concerned department that will check air pollution levels in Chenani-Nashri Tunnel and subsequent measures taken for regulation.The Committee also expressed displeasure over lack of action taken on directions and suggestions given by the Committee for minimizing air pollution during their spot visit to Chenani-Nashri Tunnel. The committee directed the concerned authorities to take necessary action in this regard at the earliest.
The Committee also directed R&B department to take necessary steps to get NOCs from Forest department so that ongoing road project can be completed in time. They also directed the department to take considerate measures to protect forest areas.The Committee directed the concerned authorities to expedite construction works on all ongoing road projects including PMGSY in the state to complete the works at the earliest thereby reducing the exposure of common populace to pollutions from constructions sites.Commissioner Secretary, R&B, Sanjeev Verma, Secretary Assembly, M R Singh, Chief Engineer, PMGSY Jammu, S P Manhas, Chief Engineer R&B Jammu, Sudheer Shah, Chief Engineer PMGSY Kashmir, Ghulam Jeelani, Chief Engineer, Project Sampark/Beacon Col Rajesh Karel, Managing Director JKPCC, Er Vakar M Shonthu, Director, Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing, Om Prakash Sharma, Manager (T), NHAI Srinagar, Gulam Qadir, besides other senior officers of concerned department, NHAI and Assembly Secretariat were present in the meeting.