Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir has secured Rs 10.50 crore in incentive funding under the Jal Hi AMRIT (JHA) initiative of AMRUT 2.0, with the government stepping up efforts to promote the reuse of treated wastewater and strengthen sustainable water management practices.
The development was discussed at a meeting of the Water Resource Recovery Cell (WRRC) chaired by Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, Mandeep Kaur.
The meeting focused on strategies for increasing the use of treated wastewater for non-potable purposes and advancing water circularity across urban areas of the Union Territory.
Officials informed the meeting that the Housing and Urban Development Department is implementing several water supply, sewerage and water body rejuvenation projects under AMRUT 2.0. Under the Jal Hi AMRIT component, incentive funds have been secured for upgrading sewage treatment infrastructure, including the installation of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and tertiary treatment facilities to improve wastewater quality for reuse.
The government has constituted a Water Resource Recovery Cell to facilitate inter-departmental coordination and ensure effective utilisation of treated water. The cell includes representatives from departments such as Agriculture, Horticulture, Industries and Commerce, Urban Local Bodies, Jal Shakti, Irrigation and Flood Control, the J&K Pollution Control Committee, Forest Department and industry bodies.
During the meeting, members discussed the framework and objectives of the Jal Hi AMRIT initiative and shared suggestions regarding its implementation.
Mandeep Kaur emphasised that treated water meeting prescribed quality standards should be utilised for irrigating parks and gardens, industrial processes, construction activities, automobile washing, kitchen gardens and reducing non-revenue water losses. She said wastewater should be viewed as a valuable resource and stressed the need for strict quality testing before its reuse.
The Commissioner Secretary directed the Jal Shakti Department and Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED) to explore projects for creating a dedicated network to supply treated wastewater to parks and gardens in Srinagar. She also announced the formation of a working group for Jammu to assess the feasibility of a comprehensive project for the productive use of treated wastewater.
The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the J&K Pollution Control Committee, Commissioners of the Jammu and Srinagar Municipal Corporations, Managing Director AMRUT, senior officials from Agriculture, Horticulture, Industries, Jal Shakti, UEED, Irrigation and Flood Control, Forest Department, and representatives of chambers of commerce and industry.
