Tawi Barrage to boost tourism of Jammu city by providing modern means of recreational activities: Dr. Mehta

Reviewed progress of works on prestigious project; Directs for commencement of pondage by June

JAMMU, March 10: Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta today chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress of ongoing works on prestigious Tawi Barrage project at Civil Secretariat here.

During the meeting, the Chief Secretary took a comprehensive review of all the ongoing works and directed the concerned executing agencies to complete them within the given timeline.

Highlighting that the Tawi Barrage is the prestigious artificial lake project of the government, Dr. Mehta observed that the project will boost the tourism of Jammu city as modern and advanced means of recreational activities will be established in city with the completion of this project. He delved upon the officers to mobilise men and machinery so that the pondage, as well as diaphragm walls of the project, are completed before the onset of monsoons.

Taking strong note of sewage disposal of Nallahs and Canals into the Tawi river, the Chief Secretary directed the Chief Engineer UEED to devise a concrete plan in consultation with other stakeholders so that no untreated sewage is disposed off into the river especially in the upstream of Tawi Barrage. He impressed upon them to work in tandem so that desired results are achieved on the ground.

Calling upon the officers to study sewage disposal plans of other states and UTs, Dr Mehta impressed upon the  UEED officers to establish plastic trash mechanism on all canals flowing towards Tawi so that the plastic disposal towards river is stopped altogether. He asked them to devise a concrete plan to mitigate the diversion of untreated sewage from the canals towards the Tawi river.

The Chief further called upon the officers of Jal Shakti department to deslit all the major canals of Jammu city before the onset of monsoons. He advised them to look into the ways and means of cleanliness of these canals to enhance the aesthetic beauty of Jammu City.

Among others, the meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, Jal Shakti, Shaleen Kabra; Principal Secretary, Forest, Ecology and Environment, Dheeraj Gupta; Principal Secretary, Housing and Urban Development, H Rajesh Prasad; Commissioner Secretary, RDD, Mandeep Kaur; Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar; Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, AvnyLavasa; Commissioner JMC, Rahul Yadav; Director Tourism Jammu, Chief Engineers of UEED, RTIC and I&FC, Director Fisheries, J&K and other senior officers of Jal Shakti, Jammu Smart City Limited and concerned departments.