Pollution board itself not harvesting rainwater, lack harvesting structure

‘Green Infrastructure not prevalent in state’

PS BALI

Jammu, Oct 9

It would not be perhaps wrong to say that the Jammu Regional State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) is oblivious to the much popular concept of ‘Green Infrastructure’, which is evident from the fact that the head office of the pollution board at Gladni, Narwal is without rainwater harvesting structure.

The board, empowered to label a building or an industry 'illegal' by not issuing the CFE (consent for establishment) certificate, if the building or industry does not harvest rain water, is itself not harvesting rain water at all.

According to a local scientist working on the water pollutants, no government building in the Jammu region has rain water harvesting structure.

“The board, which is supposed to issue guidelines of including rainwater harvesting structures in all new constructions, is itself reluctant to follow it,” said scientist, wishing anonymity.

He maintained that the centre in 2004-2005 announced rainwater harvesting scheme for farmers to provide protective irrigation to the farmlands in the varied agro-climatic and hydro geological regions, which was followed by the state. “In order to provide supplementary irrigation to farmlands through rain water harvesting structures, state government followed the centrally sponsored scheme through construction of rain water storage tanks,” he asserted. He lamented that unknown reasons thwart JKSPCB to imply same scheme for all new constructions in the state.

Talking to Greater Kashmir Regional Director, J&K SPCB Sajjad Mufti said, "It is true that we don’t have rainwater harvesting structure in our buildings, including head office, as the concept of ‘Green Infrastructure’ is not much prevalent in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and JKSPCB is not yet guided by the state government to follow same,” he said.

When asked about the guidelines of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) for encouraging rainwater harvesting, Mufti said, “Not all guidelines of the centre are effective in Jammu and Kashmir.”

However, another scientist of the board, referring to SRO 88 and 89 of the JKSPCB Handbook said that all central guidelines are implemented in the state, except taxes on water.