Inspection committees for implementation of NGT directions reconstituted

Jammu, May 16: J&K government has ordered the reconstitution of the inspection committees for implementation of National Green Tribunal (NGT) directions of February 26, 2021.

These directions were passed in Original Application (OA) No 360/2015 titled National Green Tribunal Bar Association versus Virendra Singh.

“In partial modification of Government Order No. 990-JK(GAD) of 2023 dated August 21, 2023, the committees for implementation of NGT directions dated February 26, 2021 passed in O A No. 360/2015 titled National Green Tribunal Bar Association versus Virendra Singh, are hereby re-constituted,” read an order issued by General Administration Department (GAD).

For Jammu division, the committee will have Lal Chand chairman, JKEIAA; Dr Kulwant Singh member, JKEAC; Prof Anil Kumar Raina member, JKEAC; Regional Director, JKPCC, Jammu member and Regional Director, MoEF&CC, IRO, Jammu member.

For Kashmir division, the committee will comprise E Nazir Ahmad member, JKEIAA; Shuja Ahmad Hyderi member, JKEAC; Mir Javed Jaffar member, JKEAC; Regional Director, JKPCC, Kashmir member and Regional Director, MoEF&CC, IRO, Jammu member.

“It is further ordered that the terms of reference of the committees shall remain the same as contained in Government Order No. 990-JK(GAD) of 2023 dated August 21, 2023,” the order read.

NGT, in February 2021, had given these directions while tackling the issue about the enforcement of the Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines, 2016 (SSMMG-2016) and Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining, 2020 (EMGSM 2020), read with orders dated February 19, 2020; October 14, 2020 and November4, 2020.

Besides other directives, direction for periodic inspection was given to a five-member committee, headed and coordinated by the SEIAA and comprising CPCB, State PCB and two expert members of SEAC dealing with the subject.

“A review should be done by the Chief Secretary at least once in every quarter, in a meeting with all concerned departments in the state/UT,” NGT had directed.