Coalition doing little to save Tawi river from pollutants

JAMMU: Three years after the state government announced major plans to save the Tawi the authorities continue to turn a blind eye towards encroachments along the banks and flow of untreated sewage into the river

Updated At : 06:22 AM Nov 15, 2017 IST

Untreated sewage is directly released into the Tawi in Jammu. File photo

Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 14

Three years after the state government announced major plans to save the Tawi, the authorities continue to turn a blind eye towards encroachments along the banks and flow of untreated sewage into the river.

During the 2014 floods, the river breached banks at several places engulfing illegally constructed colonies but the government has failed to take steps to remove the encroachments.

The illegally constructed colonies on the riverbed in Sidhra and old city areas from Mubarak Mandi to Gujjar Nagar has made thousands of people vulnerable to floods. The river near the bridge connecting Jewel Chowk with Bikram Chowk is turning into a sewage pond as untreated sewage is being added daily to it.

Experts say that encroachments and pollution are the two big threats to the river and are changing its physico-chemical quality. This observation was made by a survey carried out for six months. “Samples were taken at Mubarak Mandi, Har ki Paudi, Gujjar Nagar and Tawi bridge,” said Uqab Ali Baba, a researcher who conducted a study for the Department of Environmental Sciences, Central University of Jammu. A scientific analysis was carried out for water quality parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, total hardness, and nitrate and sulphate presence.

The river originates from the Kali Kundi glacier in the mountainous Bhaderwah with a catchment area of 2168 sq km in the Indian territory before it enters Pakistan. In J&K, it flows through Jammu, Udhampur and some areas of Doda district. The 30 km stretch of the river in Jammu has the worst pollution levels. Civic bodies like the Municipality and Jammu Development Authority have failed to act against encroachments and prevent flow of pollutants into the river. There is total lack of coordination between agencies.

“Despite the HC directions, encroachments remain and illegal construction is going on unabated,” said Ashwani Sharma, a member of the Tawi Bachao Andolan.