Srinagar: Divisional Commissioner Baseer Ahmad Khan on Thursday said that the conservation and preservation of cultural essence of river Jhelum is among the top priorities of the Government.
“The river Jhelum symbolizes the essence of this place, history and cultural heritage and for centuries it sustained the agriculture, pisciculture, transportation and recreation” he said while reviewing the progress of conservation and preservation work on the river here at a meeting.
The Divisional Commissioner directed concerned Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to constitute zone wise teams and launch sustained cleanliness drive along the embankments of the river Jhelum. He directed for putting up ‘No Littering Zone’ sign boards and dumpers at all Jhelum Ghats and take action against the offenders.
The Divisional Commissioner constituted Jhelum Monitoring Committees (JMC) for Anantnag, Pulwama, Baramulla and Bandipora districts, the passage of the river. Concerned Deputy Commissioners will act as heads and officers of Environment, Pollution Control Board, Forest, Urban Local Bodies, Municipal Committees and Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) as members of the committees. The JMC members will personally visit the Jhelum embankments weekly and review the cleanliness and Eco-restoration works of the river. The JMC will send the complete report with photo and videographic evidences to the Divisional Commissioners office for further action.
The Div Com called for developing the embankments of the river for Eco-tourism activities and suggested for creating Bird watching sites, parks and other facilities along the fringes of the river.
Khan asked officers to re-double efforts and utilize their expertise for the speedy Eco-restoration and conservation of the river Jhelum.
Additional Commissioner Kashmir Tasaduq Hussain Mir, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudury, Chief Engineer Irrigation & Flood Control, Director Urban Local Bodies, Regional Director State Pollution Control Board, Additional Commissioner SMC and other officers were present in the meeting where as Deputy Commissioners of Anantnag, Pulwama, Baramullah and Bandipora districts participated the meeting through video conferencing.
