Mandeep Kaur chairs WRRC meet on Jal Hi AMRIT as J&K gets Rs 10.5 cr for wastewater reuse

SRINAGAR, JUNE 24: With a focus on sustainable water management and promoting water circularity, the Water Resource Recovery Cell (WRRC) under the Jal Hi AMRIT (JHA) initiative of AMRUT 2.0 met today under the chairpersonship of Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development, Mandeep Kaur.
The meeting discussed strategies to encourage reuse of treated wastewater, especially for non-potable purposes.
The officials informed that the Housing and Urban Development Department is implementing AMRUT 2.0 through various water supply, sewerage and water body rejuvenation projects. Under its Jal Hi AMRIT sub-component, launched to upgrade Sewage Treatment Plants through incentive-based funding, J&K has secured Rs 10.50 crore in incentives, so far. The ongoing interventions included installation of SCADA systems and tertiary treatment facilities to improve wastewater quality for reuse.
Pertinently, the J&K government has constituted a Water Resource Recovery Cell for inter-departmental coordination to ensure effective use of treated water. Its members included representatives from Agriculture, Horticulture, Industries and Commerce, Urban Local Bodies, Jal Shakti, I&FC, J&K Pollution Control Committee, Forest and Chambers of Industries and Commerce.
During the meeting, the members shared suggestions on the objectives and framework of the Jal Hi AMRIT initiative launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Mandeep Kaur stressed that treated water, meeting prescribed quality standards, should be utilized for the irrigating parks and gardens, industrial processes, construction, automobile cleaning, kitchen gardens and reducing non-revenue water. She said the initiative supports water conservation and circular economy principles by transforming wastewater into a valuable resource and underscored the need for robust quality testing before reuse.
The Commissioner Secretary asked the Jal Shakti Department and UEED to explore the projects for an exclusive network to supply treated wastewater to parks and gardens in Srinagar City. A working group will also be formed for Jammu to assess a feasible holistic project for gainful use of treated wastewater, she told the meeting.
The meeting was attended by the Chairman JKPCC, Commissioners of JMC and SMC, Special Secretary and MD AMRUT, Directors of ULB Jammu and Kashmir, Directors of Agriculture, Horticulture and Industries, Chief Engineers of UEED, Jal Shakti and I&FC, Chief Conservators of Forests and Presidents of Chambers of Industries and Commerce Jammu and Kashmir.