No STPs, untreated sewage polluting Mansar, Surinsar lakes: CAG

Jammu, May 7: Untreated waste and sewage generated from the households in their vicinity, in the absence of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), continue to be discharged into the twin lakes of Mansar and Surinsar in Jammu region, resulting in deterioration in their water quality.
Alarming adhocism in the approach of concerned authorities has been flagged in the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India in its report on the “Conservation and management of lakes in Jammu and Kashmir” for the period ended March 2022.    
Surinsar and Mansar are under the control and management of Wildlife Warden, Kathua (WLW-Kathua) and Surinsar-Mansar Development Authority (SMDA).

However, both of them (WLW Kathua and SMDA) did not have a specific legal framework and clear demarcation of responsibility for conservation and management of the Surinsar and Mansar lakes. The sources of water in the lakes are springs in and around them, rainfall and surface run-off. The lake fringes are spread over an area of 0.90 Sq km.

“In the absence of any comprehensive plan for conservation and management of lakes, WLW-Kathua and SMDA were carrying out lake-related activities in an ad-hoc manner. State level monitoring committee had not monitored conservation and management of the twin lakes. WLW-Kathua and SMDA had not carried out demarcation of the boundary of Surinsar and Mansar lakes due to which the two Lakes had remained open to encroachments. No STPs were in place for treatment of sewage generated by inhabitants living in the vicinity of lakes resulting in discharge of untreated waste and sewage into the lakes,” the audit noted with grave concern.

Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 and 2017 prohibit discharge of untreated wastes and effluents from villages and other human settlements into wetlands.
However, the audit examination revealed that SMDA and WPD had not conducted any exhaustive survey to identify the point and non-point sources of waste and untreated sewage entering the lakes.

Although SMDA projected in December 2018, the requirement of Rs 5.60 Cr under Prime Minister Development Package (PMDP) phase-II for installation of eight STPs for these two lakes and requested in November, 2019 to the Chief Engineer (UEED) to depute technical experts or engineers to explore feasibility for installation of STPs and drainage systems, there was no further progress in this regard. 
As a result, funds could not be obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for construction of STPs under PMDP (Phase-II).

“A provision of five STPs kept in the Mansar rejuvenation plan (2021) under PMDP Phase-II was yet to be approved as of March 2022. Thus, untreated waste and sewage generated from the households in the vicinity of the two lakes continued to be discharged into the lakes resulting in deterioration in the water quality of these lakes,” the audit revealed.

Similarly, Rule 4 of Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 and 2017 prohibits dumping of solid waste within wetlands. Further, Waste Management Rules, 2016 (notified by MoEF&CC) prescribe actions to be taken for collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste together with monitoring and evaluation of compliance of these Rules.

Audit noticed that SMDA and WLW-Kathua had not taken measures for source segregation and door-to-door collection and disposal of solid waste generated by households in the vicinity of the lakes.

Though SMDA spent Rs 0.35 Cr during 2017-18 to 2021-22 on disposal of solid waste, it had not identified land for dumping of solid waste with the result waste generated by households, shops, visitors and pilgrims was being dumped on the fringes of these lakes.

The animal waste generated in the deer park situated along the banks of Mansar lake was also finding its way into the lake.

Out of funds of Rs 6.16 lakh released during 2017-18 to 2021-22, by J&K Government to WLW-Kathua for solid waste management, Rs 1.74 lakh (28 per cent) was not spent. SMDA, in January 2021, stated that installation of STP and identification of land for dumping sites were under process, the audit report pointed out.