Srinagar: On the second day of its visit, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Subordinate Legislation Wednesday visited Gulmarg to take stock of the implementation of nationwide Swachh Bharat Mission there.
The 12-member committee headed by Sardar Pratap Singh Bajwa enquired from the officers of Central Pollution Control Board, J&K Pollution Control Board and district administration about the measures taken to implement the objectives of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) there.
According to an official press release, the committee asked about the measures taken by them to implement different rules and regulations regarding the management of municipal waste. It further enquired about the framing, compliance and adherence to the laws and rules made therein by the administration.
The chairman of the JKPCB, Suresh Chugh informed the committee that the businesses are given consent by the Board after assessing their compliance with all the pollution control measures.
The committee was apprised that the Ski resort is visited by lakhs of local, national and foreign tourists each year. It was also apprised that in order to keep the tourist destination clean the Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA) has established a Sewerage Treatment Plant of the capacity of 3 tonnes per day.
The committee was informed that the door-to-door collection of waste is done each day from hotels, huts, shops, and wayside amenities, etc. It was also given that around 10 quintals of dry and wet waste is generated here and collected and treated by the administration. Both biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste is treated at the STP with the help of Auto digestor and Magnetic Disintegrator respectively, the committee was informed.
Those who were present on the occasion include Chairman CPCB, Naresh Gagwal; Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, Bhupinder Kumar; CEO, GDA, Dr Zahoor Ahmad Raina and other officers of JKPCB and local administration.
Parl Committee on Home Affairs begins 4-days visit to J&K
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs today held several meetings with select stakeholders on the subject “administration, development and people’s welfare in the UT of J&K” for an in-depth understanding of their issues and problems, an official press release informed.
It said the committee held detailed interaction with the representatives of the grassroot institutions, viz, Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies, which included the Mayor, Srinagar City and presidents of various Municipal Committees and Councils and District Development Council chairpersons and vice-chairpersons apart from the chairpersons of the Block Development Councils.
The committee, comprising of 28 Members of Parliament from Lok Sabha as well as the Rajya Sabha, is headed by senior Congress leader and Member Parliament, Anand Sharma.
The panel deliberated upon different issues pertaining to infrastructure, development, employment opportunities, business and trade, tourism, government-run schemes and other issues.
The PRI representatives presented their views on their further empowerment as per the 73rd and 74th amendment. The committee members listened the demands and issues and grievances put forth by the representatives of the grassroot institutions, while assuring them to include the suggestions in their report.
The representatives from industries, businesses, hospitality and hotel industry, tourism, etc., also interacted with the standing committee and highlighted the difficulties being faced by the industries due to COVID-19 pandemic. They also voiced several suggestions and recommendations with regard to loans, incentives, schemes etc for the sustainability of industries in the UT, the press release said.
Principal Secretary Home, Shaleen Kabra; Principal Secretary Housing & Urban Development Department, Dheeraj Gupta; Principal Secretary Industries & Commerce, Ranjan Prakash Thakur; Commissioner Secretary Labour & Employment, Sarita Chouhan; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole; Secretary Planning, Development & Monitoring, Sushma Chouhan; CEO Mission Youth J&K, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary; Secretary Tourism & Culture, Sarmad Hafeez, Mission Director Rural Livelihood Mission, Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar, and other concerned were also present during the interactive sessions.
