A meeting of the Committee on Environment of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly was held here today under the Chairmanship of MLA, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami to review the Housing and Urban Development Department regarding their policies to mitigate pollution related issues.Legislators, Usman Abdul Majid, Syed Mohammad Baqir Rizvi, Choudhary Mohammad Akram, Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, Bashir Ahmed Dar, Ishfaq Ahmad Sheikh, Abdul Rahim Rather and Anjum Fazili were present in the meeting.Threadbare discussions were held on the present status of solid waste management and drainage and sanitation services being provided to the people within the Administrative jurisdiction of Srinagar Municipal Committees of the respective districts besides status of garbage dumping sites within the limits of the respective Municipal Committees.Director, Urban Local Bodies Kashmir, Riyaz Ahmed Wani briefed the Committee about the Under Solid Waste Management (SWM) component of the Mission, the Department adopted a cluster approach and 19 clusters, have been formed for the scientific disposal of solid waste covering all the urban towns and two capital cities of the State.
He further informed that land for the purpose has been identified for all the clusters except Banihal and Kishtwar, where the matter has been taken up with district administration besides DRP and land availability status of all the clusters.The Committee expressed concern over the use of polythene bags above thickness of 50 microns and urged Government to review the matter in this regard. The Committee observed that the order of Honb'le High Court should be implemented in letter and spirit.Additional Deputy Commissioners from districts of Kashmir Division briefed the Committee about the steps taken by the administration in the improvement of solid waste management as well as the drainage system in the region.The Committee stressed upon the concerned authorities to expedite the working of land acquisition process for garbage dumping sites and directed them to clear all chokes of river, streams and nullahs.Among others, Chairman Pollution Control Board, Commissioner SMC, Additional Secretary Legislative Assembly, besides others senior officers of concerned department and Assembly Secretariat were also present in the meeting.