Srinagar March 12:(KNS)  After the National Green Tribunal (NGT) slashed a penalty of Rs 3 crore on erring  officers of JK Govt and Polluters for not taking steps to control pollution and illegal mining in Doodh Ganga and Mamath Kul in Budgam, the Principal Secretary to Govt Housing & Urban Development Department (HUDD) has called a meeting of senior officers on Monday.

In a meeting notice issued by the Housing and Urban Development Department on Saturday, as many as eleven senior officers of Govt have been asked to attend the meeting in Jammu on Monday.

“ Principal Secretary to Govt Housing and Urban Development Department shall chair a meeting on 14.03.2022 Monday at 4pm in the meeting hall first floor civil secretariat Jammu to discuss the action required to be taken in light of the directions of the Hon’ble NGT in the case titled Raja Muzaffar Bhat v/s Union of India and others”

Members Secretary PCB, DCs of Srinagar , Budgam , Commissioner SMC , Director Soil Conservation J&K, Director ULB Kashmir , Director Geology & Mining , Chief Engineers I&FC, UEED and Special Secretary legal (HUDD) have been invited to attend the meeting.

 Pertinently the case on pollution in Doodh Ganga was listed before the Principal Bench of NGT last week. NGT order said that the State be held liable to pay interim compensation of Rs. One crore each under all the three heads (solid waste , liquid waste and Illegal mining) which is to be deposited in a separate account of Deputy Commissioner Budgam  to be utilized for restoration of environment

 The bench headed by Justice  A K Goel observed

 “The violations found include dumping of waste on the banks of the river, discharge of untreated sewage into the river, unregulated illegal mining activities and failure to protect the embankments of the river. The report was signed by the Additional Secretary to the Government, Housing and Urban Development Department. “

The order further reads

“We find that neither the dumping of solid waste nor discharge of untreated sewage has been prevented nor illegal mining stopped and legacy waste cleared for which statutory timelines have already expired. The State is accordingly held liable to pay interim compensation of Rs. One crore each under all the three heads which may be deposited in a separate account to be utilized for restoration of environment “(KNS)