SRINAGAR: The Committee on Environment of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly has expressed grave concern over the escalating problem of plastic pollution across the Union Territory and called for stringent measures to combat the menace, particularly the pervasive use of single-use plastics (SUPs).
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the committee, led by CPI-M MLA M.Y. Tarigami, highlighted that the unchecked consumption of plastic poses a significant environmental threat, impacting public health, contaminating water bodies, and disrupting the region’s delicate ecological balance.
During its second meeting held at the assembly secretariat in Srinagar, the panel chairman M.Y. Tarigami urged the administration to consider issuing an executive order to enforce a comprehensive ban on all plastic use within Jammu and Kashmir. This proposed ban aims to safeguard environmental protection, public health, and foster sustainable development.
The committee emphasized the crucial role of the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) in stepping up enforcement activities. It stressed the necessity of strict adherence to existing laws designed to eliminate single-use plastics, with a particular focus on tourist hotspots, revered religious sites, and ecologically sensitive areas.
In addition to plastic pollution, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly’s Environment panel also addressed the ongoing indefinite strike by sanitation workers employed by various Urban Local Bodies. These workers, categorised as Casual/Contractual Labourers (CLs) and Daily Rated Workers (DRWs), are advocating for the regularisation of their services.
Acknowledging sanitation workers as an integral part of urban civic services, the committee directed the Commissioner Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD) to immediately engage in dialogue with the striking workers. The directive called for earnest efforts to resolve the impasse by sympathetically examining their demands.
The committee members unanimously underscored the importance of coordinated action between the Pollution Control Committee, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), and Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) to achieve the goal of a plastic-free Jammu and Kashmir. They further urged all government departments and public institutions to actively discourage the use of plastic during official meetings, in office premises, and at public functions.
The panel had previously requested comprehensive reports concerning the environmental and ecological impacts of major waste disposal sites, including the Achan landfill site in Srinagar and the Bhagwati Nagar dumping site in Jammu. These reports were to detail the status of legacy waste remediation, scientific waste processing, compliance with National Green Tribunal (NGT) directives, and the progress of the proposed Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) Project at Achan.
Further directives were issued to concerned departments to provide details on the effects of waste management activities on the Anchar Lake, its surrounding habitations, and the local ecosystems. This included information on measures being taken to prevent leachate generation, groundwater contamination, air pollution, and associated public health hazards.
The Chairman also directed the Assembly Secretariat to ensure that observations from the CAG Report No. 6 of 2025 on Solid Waste Management in Urban Local Bodies are presented to the Committee at its subsequent meeting for thorough review. The report covers specific paras from 3.1.1 to 3.1.11 relating to solid waste management practices.
The panel also deliberated on pollution concerns affecting the Tawi River, Surinsar Lake, and Mansar Lake, seeking detailed information from the respective departments. Officers were instructed to conduct on-site inspections and submit reports outlining necessary conservation and restoration measures for these vital water bodies.
Furthermore, the committee reviewed the status of drains and nullahs that discharge sewage and wastewater into the Tawi River. It sought information on the extent of pollution caused, the progress of interception and treatment projects, the implementation of sewerage infrastructure, and the measures in place to prevent untreated sewage from entering the river.
The Jammu Municipal Corporation was asked to provide details on its initiatives for the restoration, rejuvenation, and conservation of ponds, lakes, and other water bodies within its municipal limits. This included efforts to revive encroached and degraded water bodies and reinstate their ecological, cultural, and community significance.
During the meeting, several members raised environmental concerns pertinent to their constituencies. Following extensive discussions, the Chairman issued necessary directives to the attending officers, emphasizing the need for immediate remedial actions and the submission of an Action Taken Report (ATR) at the next committee meeting.
Panel member MLA Devyani Rana articulated significant concerns regarding the impact of sewage leakages on groundwater quality, calling for a comprehensive assessment across urban areas. She also drew attention to the deteriorating condition of the ecologically vital Mansar and Surinsar Lakes in Jammu, stressing the urgency of conservation and restoration efforts for these heritage water bodies.
Rana also sought details on the garbage collection, segregation, and scientific disposal mechanisms employed by the Jammu Municipal Corporation, including the operational status of waste processing facilities and dumping sites. She emphasized that improper waste disposal poses a considerable threat to public health and the environment, advocating for the strengthening of solid waste management systems in Jammu city.
The committee acknowledged these concerns and reiterated the importance of adopting sustainable waste management practices, protecting water resources, and preventing groundwater contamination. Another committee member, MLA Baldev Raj Sharma, proposed a comprehensive visit to Katra and the Vaishno Devi shrine to assess and ensure the effectiveness of the sewage system and waste treatment facilities along the pilgrimage route, thereby safeguarding the local ecology.
The meeting was attended by other committee members including Prof. Gharu Ram, Showkat Hussain Ganie, Javaid Ahmad Mirchal, Salman Sagar, Javaid Riyaz (Bedar), and Rameshwar Singh, all of whom actively participated in the discussions and raised various environmental issues related to their constituencies.
Senior officials present included the Commissioner Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department, the Secretary of the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department, the Chairman of JKPCC, Commissioners of SMC and JMC, the Director of Urban Local Bodies, the Secretary of JKLA, and other senior officers from the J&K Legislative Assembly Secretariat.
The Chenab Times News Desk