Srinagar, August 29: The High Court has directed Tourism department to install mini STP near Nehru Park following J&K Pollution Control Board’s report that the water quality of Dal Lake on two vital parameters— the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and the Dissolved Oxygen (DO)—has deteriorated near the point as well as at the Water Channel gate of the Royal Golf Spring Course.
Hearing a Public Interest Litigation, a division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Puneet Gupta said that Department of Tourism, has to take steps to ensure that the directions for setting of the mini STP, issued actually by the PCB, are complied with.
The court’s direction followed perusal of a report filed by M. Maqbool Shah, Nodal Officer, PCB, that the samples collected at the Island Park (Nehru Park) exit point shows that the water quality does not conform to the Class B Water quality criteria in respect of two vital parameters—BOD and DO.
“The PCB has reported that the same is the state of the water samples collected from the Dal Lake at the Water Channel gate of the Royal Golf Spring Course,” the court said in an order, adding, “The PCB has recommended Mini STP to be installed at the Nehru Park to address the issues of sewage and discharge from the toilets, urinals etc. The PCB has issued directions for setting up of the Mini STP.”
The court, as per GNS, said that the Department of Tourism has to take steps in this regard to ensure that the directions are complied with.
The court asked the Additional Advocate General MA Chashoo to apprise the Commissioner Secretary to Government, Tourism Department, about it and file an “Action Taken Report” before the next date of hearing on September 30.
Meanwhile, the court was informed by the Vice Chairman, LAWDA, that eight Hul based Bio-digesters have been received from one of the BoTs of DRDO with whom the order was placed.
Advocate Sheikh Mushtaq representing Houseboat Owners Association submitted that the houseboat owners are fully cooperating with the Department of Tourism and Vice Chairman, LAWDA in giving details of the Houseboats to the Directorate of Tourism Department in which the hull bio-digesters have to be installed.
He said that the Tourism Department has forwarded these names to the Vice Chairman LAWDA. (GNS)