Udaipur: The quarterly meeting of the District Environment Committee was held on Tuesday at the Collectorate Mini Auditorium under the chairmanship of District Collector Namit Mehta.

At the outset, Member Secretary and Deputy Conservator of Forests (North), Ajay Chittora, presented the compliance report of the previous meeting. Officials from Transport, UDA, Municipal Corporation, Traffic Police, Pollution Control Board, RICO, Mining, and other departments provided updates on actions taken over the past three months.

District Collector Namit Mehta emphasized that Udaipur’s global recognition is not just due to its glorious history but also because of its lakes and environment. He stressed that environmental protection is a collective responsibility and directed strict control over activities that cause pollution. Continuous monitoring of industrial units, resorts, hospitals, and other establishments was ordered, with action to be taken as per regulations if any pollution-generating activity is detected.

The Collector also instructed officials to closely monitor illegal hill cutting and review sites recently sealed by UDA, with the Mining Department tasked to take separate action against any illegal mining discovered. The meeting included detailed discussions on controlling air and noise pollution, banning single-use plastics, e-waste management, solid waste management, marble slurry disposal, biomedical waste disposal, and cleanliness of tourist sites.

Progress on No-Vehicle Zones:
The District Collector reviewed the progress on declaring no-vehicle zones in the inner city. Tourism Deputy Director Shikha Saxena stated that two areas have been identified: Chandpole to Jagdish Temple and Ranganivas Chowki to Jagdish Temple. The Collector instructed the committee, which includes UDA, Municipal Corporation, Traffic Police, and Tourism officials, to prepare the report promptly and complete the next steps without delay.

Additional Instructions:
The Collector directed the Municipal Corporation to clean the Fatehsagar embankment near Bombay Chaupati twice a month due to complaints of foul odor and to clear the waste collection site on the Cesarma to Muddhtalai route. Precautions were also ordered for the prevention of forest fires during the summer, including enforcing safety measures during fireworks in hotels and residential areas near forests and hills.

The meeting was attended by UDA Secretary Hemendra Nagar, Deputy Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Yadavendra Singh Chundawat, CMHO Dr. Ashok Aditya, Assistant Conservator of Forests Surekha Chaudhary, Traffic Deputy Superintendent Ashok Anjana, and other departmental officers.

 

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