news details |
|
|
| 10 years on SMC's quest for landfill site continues | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, July 13: From the last 10 years Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) is searching for few hundred kanals of land in city outskirts to create a new landfill site even after offering huge price. As SMCs only landfill site at Achan Saidapora is 99 % filled sources in SMC say that situation is very grim as it may lead to severe garbage problems in the upcoming months.
As reported already the garbage cell number 3 at Achan landfill site is 99 % filled and it can hardly accommodate the garbage for another 5 to 6 months. SMC on the other hand has no clue what is to be done after the existing landfill site is full. Sources in SMC said that waste to energy programme is again a distant dream as work is yet to be undertaken inspite of being tendered out. Reliable sources say that Waste to Energy can be a disaster and that is the reason some top experts in this field are not advising SMC to go ahead with this project. All this has resulted into chaos and confusion in Srinagar vis a vis waste management.
Inpsite of the High Court orders the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) , Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and all other Municipal Committees and Councils across the state are allegedly continuing to dump 80 to 100 % untreated garbage at their respective dumping sites. Sources say that SMC has dearth of vehicles and that is the reason segregated waste is not being taken to Achan dumping site. Right now SMC vehicles (hoppers) only carters to 20 % of population in Srinagar city.
Pertinently High Court division bench of ex Chief Justice S Ramalingam and Justice M K Hanjura while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on April 4th had issued notice to several Government organizations like Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) , Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) , Rural Development Department (RDD) , Directorate of Urban Local Bodies, Housing & Urban Development Department, Tourism Department , Horticulture Department and few more Govt owned organizations to abide by Solid Waste Management Rules of 2016 . High Court had meanwhile directed all the municipal institutions to take only 10 % of segregated waste to landfill sites but sources say that JMC / SMC and all other MCs across state are still violating the High Court order. Except in some parts of Srinagar city where SMC has started collecting segregated waste and creating awareness through some NGOs , JMC and all the Municipal Committees and Councils across state are openly violating the SWM Rules 2016. The case was listed again few days back and division bench took a strong note on plastic pollution in state.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed by Srinagar based Environmental Policy Group (EPG) . EPG has sought intervention of High Court over inefficient management of solid waste in Srinagar , Jammu all the major towns and villages of J&K state. EPG in its PIL alleged that Government agencies like SMC , JMC , ULB's , RDD etc are not at all adhering to Solid Waste Management Rules of 2016 and Swatch Bharat Mission (Urban / Gramin) guidelines. The Division bench of the then Chief Justice sought details from all the Government agencies involved in waste management work to send details of works being executed or executed to address problems of waste management. Copies of all the tender documents issued for waste management have also been sought by High Court division bench which have to be produced on May 15th during next hearing of the case. In addition to it High Court had directed municipal institutions in its interim order to abide by SWM Rules and take only 10 % garbage to landfill sites but from last 3 months since this order was issued the municipal authorities SMC , JMC continue to violate the order . |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
