‘Save Tawi’ campaign reaches CM’s cell

Activist seeks caution boards on bridges
warning against polluting river
Varun Suthra
Tribune News Services

Jammu, April 18

The “Save Tawi” campaign, a Jammu Tribune initiative to save the Tawi from further deterioration due to increasing pollution levels, has echoed the Chief Minister’s secretariat, with a volunteer registering a complaint with the CM’s Grievance Cell.

According to the official website of the cell, RTI activist Raman Sharma registered a complaint (No. 30795) on April 12 though an email.

The complainant brought the issue to the notice of the Chief Minister through a letter and sought directives to the municipal corporation to put up caution boards on all bridges over the river, prohibiting people from throw garbage and polythene into the river.

The letter addressed to the Chief Minister read: “The lifeline of Jammu, the Tawi, has been polluted by the people by throwing garbage into the holy river. Unfortunately, no one is taking care of this river.

“It hurts to see people throw garbage into the river from the bridges joining the Jammu city with Bikram Chowk. The municipal corporation has not put up any caution board to warn people against throwing garbage into the river. “Kindly direct the Jammu municipal corporation to put up caution boards, asking people not to throw garbage into the river. These boards may be put on either side of the two bridges over the river (Bikram Chowk to Jewel).

“Also, caution boards may also be erected on the Sher-e-Kashmir bridge and Gujjar Nagar to Jammu University Gate bridge,” the letter stated.

The website revealed that the complaint had been forwarded to the State Pollution Control Board after the MC had stated that the issue pertained to the pollution board.

Talking to The Tribune, Sharma said: “My only concern is to bring the issue to the notice of the Chief Minister, as his intervention is crucial at this juncture. The origin and existence of Jammu are linked to the river. The government should dedicate a project to save the river on the lines of the Rs 300-crore Mubarak Mandi heritage project.”

“The MC should come forward and play a proactive role. The authorities and officials concerned need to execute the requisite plans,” he added.

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