Category: Environment

Environment

Seven Minister panel constituted to save Wular lake: Govt

Editor

The state government today constituted a group of seven senior Cabinet ministers to examine the proposal regarding accord of administrative approval for execution of work for dredging and strengthening embankments of the Wular Lake. The constitution of group of ministers followed the decision of a Cabinet meeting held on August 9. The state’s Forest, Ecology and Environment Department had submitted a proposal to the Cabinet seeking accord of administrative approval and acceptance of the single tender for execution of work for dredging and strengthening embankments of the Wular Lake, which…

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Review detects ambiguity in land use structure in Srinagar Master Plan

Editor

The land use structure envisaged in the Srinagar draft Master Plan (2015-35) is incomplete as the proposal to put more than 64 percent of developed land under residential use is a “serious policy imperfection flaw”, states an expert review. These observations have been made in a technical and analytical review of the Draft Master Plan submitted to Srinagar Development Authority by Hamid Ahmad Wani, professional Urban planner and former chief town planner,Jammu Development Authority. According to the review, a metro city with a land use pattern having more than 64…

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Govt transfers forest land to businessman in Pahalgam

Editor

At a time the judiciary has gone tough on illegal constructions in eco-sensitive zones, the J&K Government has allotted forest land to a businessman for constructing a hotel in Pahalgam. Officials said the Forest Department has given no objection certificate (NOC) to a hotelier for construction on the forest land at the Ganeshbal locality in Lidder Forest Division in Pahalgam. “Nearly 6 kanals of forest land in compartment 34 and 35 of Lidder forest division have been transferred to a businessman for the construction of a hotel,” a senior forest…

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Failure to dredge Jhelum on scientific lines puts Kashmir at risk: Caution experts

Editor

Experts Tuesday cautioned that dredging project has not helped to address the problem of floods in any way and Kashmir stands at same stage where it had been post 2014 devastating floods. They termed the dredging of Jhelum as “ill conceived project” and warned of consequences if immediate measures were not taken to correct the things. “Dredging, the project of utter importance didn’t get the desired results. The incompetence of authorities to execute the project has added woes of a common man who is yet to come out of the…

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Srinagar swelters as mercury goes beyond 30°C

Editor

With mercury constantly remaining above 30°C, Srinagar is reeling under sweltering heat. The mercury in the city has been above 30°C for the past one week and is likely to remain same for the next at least five days. The day temperature over the past week has been slightly higher than the average temperature for this time of the year, the peak of summer season. In the past two days, the city registered a high of 30.2°C yesterday and 32.2°C on Saturday. The abysmal precipitation in the city during recent…

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Solid Waste Management in Srinagar still on paper

Editor

May become impediment for implementation of Smart City project More than 13,000 metric tonnes of solid waste that is produced in Srinagar every month may become one of the main challenges for the successful implementation of the Smart City project in the summer capital. For the past many years, the government has failed to address the menace of solid waste as nearly 450 metric tonnes of solid waste is produced in the city every day and is dumped in the heart of Srinagar in Achen, the only open dumping site…

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Governor NN Vohra briefed on Jhelum flood recovery project

Editor

Sundeep Kumar Nayak, Chief Executive Officer, Jhelum and Tawi Flood Recovery Project, called on Governor NN Vohra here today. Nayak briefed the Governor about the status of ongoing works to support the recovery and increase disaster resilience in the project areas along with the restoration of public service infrastructure. The Governor advised Nayak to ensure the timely completion of all projects, with particular attention to strengthening disaster risk management systems and institutions so that the project benefited the entire affected region. Meanwhile, S Khurshid-ul-Islam, Course Coordinator, J&K Institute of Management,…

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Chalk out ways to check Dal Lake pollution: High Court

Editor

Pointing out that nitrates, phosphates and other nutrients were present beyond the permissible limits in the Dal Lake, the High Court today directed the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority to check the sources of these pollutants rather than focusing on weed-cutting. A division bench of the court headed by the Chief Justice also observed that the pH value of the lake water was high which meant that the water was alkaline in nature. “You have to apply your mind on how it can be controlled. These (nutrients and pH) increase…

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Govt in slumber to prevent 2014-like floods: High Court

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Observing that nothing has improved on ground, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has pulled up the state government for being in slumber to avoid 2014-flood like situation. Hearing a Public Interest Litigation seeking preservation of water bodies in Kashmir, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmad and Justice Ali Muhammad Magrey observed that government’s inefficiency and negligence led to floods in 2014 causing huge havoc by taking many lives and washing away properties. “But you are still in deep slumber as nothing has improved on ground level.…

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Admit Dal area has shrunk: High Court to Lake Authority

Editor

Asks it not to hoodwink people; rejects old maps presented by officials Rejecting the maps of Dal Lake, which were presented to it by an official of the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), the High Court today told the lake authority that it should not hoodwink the public and admit shrinkage of the lake area due to encroachments and pollutants. These observations were made by a division bench of Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey, which is hearing a PIL about the lake conservation. The…

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