India News | GREEN-RIVER POLLUTION-J&K Water Bodies' Pollution in J&K's Doda: NGT Allows Request to File Report in 8 Weeks

New Delhi, May 14 (PTI) In a matter regarding pollution of water bodies in the Bhadarwah valley in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has allowed the deputy commissioner's (DC) request to file a time-bound action plan within eight weeks to remediate the situation.

The NGT has also directed the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (J&KPCC) to file a fresh report disclosing the action taken for imposing fines on the entities responsible for causing the pollution.

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The tribunal was hearing the matter regarding the issue of water pollution because of increasing pollutants and the absence of a proper sewage system.

In its previous order, the green panel had directed the DC to file a "time-bound action plan" to remediate the situation and the J&KPCC to impose a fine on the "defaulting body".

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A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel said none of the directions were followed and the DC sought further eight weeks to file the report.

The bench also noted that in the documents submitted before it, the authorities had taken different stands.

"The stand of the DC, Doda is that Neeru is a nallah, whereas the report of the J&KPCC clearly states that Neeru is a river. Member secretary of the J&KPCC has also stated that Neeru is a sacred river of that area known as Neel Ganga, a tributary of the Chenab river," the tribunal said.

In an order passed last week, it allowed the DC's request and directed the J&KPCC member secretary "to file a fresh report and disclose the action taken for the imposition of environmental compensation (EC) on the defaulting body".

"Let these reports be filed at least one week before the next date of hearing (on August 21)," the tribunal said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)