The Committee on Environment of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly met here under the chairmanship of former Minister and MLA, Mr. Ghulam Mohammad Saroori to discuss environmental impact of the existing Power Projects in the state and steps to be taken in this regard by the concerned departments.Legislators, Shamima Firdous, Abdul Majeed Larmi, Mohammad Amin Bhat, Daleep Singh, Dr. Krishan Lal, Mohammad Abass Wani, Dina Nath Bhagat, Neelam Kumar Langeh, Gulzar Ahmed Wani and Mumtaz Ahmed attended the meeting and gave their suggestion to improve the functioning of the committee.The Committee discussed the impact of existing power projects on Environment and Natural Eco-System in terms of change in the micro-climate, loss of vegetal cover, soil erosion, variation in water table, wildlife and enhanced seismic activities and measures being taken by the department to control pollution while carrying out construction on various power projects.The committee deliberated upon the measures taken to ensure scientific muck/solid waste disposal and whether the vehicles carrying the garbage/muck are being covered with tarpaulin besides disposal of bio-medical waste/sewage in the hospitals/public sanitation units run by the management within the precincts of the projects.Threadbare discussions were held on measures taken while conducting earthwork/blasting etc.
in order to contain effects of the pollution during the said activities proving health hazard for the people living in the vicinity of such projects besides the workers, measures taken for the overall safety of laborers/workers working at various project sites and fulfilment of corporate responsibility by the project managements in terms of plantation, and other allied matters.Deliberations were also held on the removal of dilapidated/rotten poles and wires which have been spread over trees to some far-flung areas in rural areas.The Committee sought detailed report on the working of some existing power projects and dumping sites and directed furnishing report in this regard to the members of the committee.Commissioner Secretary, PDD, Mr. Dheeraj Kumar apprised the Committee about various measures taken by the department to control the impact of pollution besides he also briefed the Committee about the agenda points which were discussed in the meeting.Among others, Director, Environment, Ecology and Remote Sensing, Jammu, Mr. O. P Sharma, Chief Engineers of various wings of PDD other officers of concerned department besides senior officers and officials of Assembly Secretariat also attended the meeting.