JAMMU: The Jammu Municipal Corporation is set to launch a special city-wide campaign aimed at transforming Jammu into a clean, green and environmentally sustainable city.
In this regard, Commissioner Devansh Yadav convened a comprehensive meeting with senior officers and officials of the Corporation to discuss strategies for strengthening sanitation measures, enhancing greenery and ensuring maximum public participation in the initiative.
During the meeting, Dr. Devansh Yadav announced that cleaning and restoration works are currently underway at more than 20 ponds and water bodies across Jammu city under the special campaign and will continue in the coming weeks.
To ensure long-term maintenance and protection of these water bodies, local committees comprising nearby residents will be constituted. These committees will "adopt" the ponds and actively participate in their upkeep and cleanliness.
The JMC has also appealed to citizens to voluntarily participate in water body conservation efforts by filling out forms through an online registration link.
Highlighting the Corporation's commitment towards environmental conservation ahead of the monsoon season, the Commissioner said that over 40,000 trees and saplings will be planted across different parts of Jammu city under the "Clean Jammu, Green Jammu" initiative.
To encourage public participation, the JMC has introduced a volunteer participation mechanism through which citizens can register for plantation drives and adopt trees through swachh.jk.gov.in/clean-jammu-cert.
According to officials, every adopted tree will be linked to the concerned citizen through a dedicated QR code to ensure accountability and promote a sense of ownership towards environmental protection.
Dr. Devansh Yadav further stated that flowering plants and ornamental saplings would also be planted in vacant spaces across the city to enhance Jammu's aesthetic appeal and green cover.
Meanwhile, the Housing and Urban Development Department has introduced significant amendments to the Building Bye-laws, enabling citizens to self-certify and directly upload building maps online, thereby simplifying the approval process.
The installation of rainwater harvesting systems has also been made mandatory for all new building permissions. Officials said the measure is aimed at recharging the groundwater table during the monsoon season and preventing depletion of vital water sources such as tube wells and open wells.
Appealing for public cooperation, Commissioner Dr. Devansh Yadav urged residents, social organisations, volunteers and youth groups to actively participate in the initiative to make Jammu a truly clean and green city.