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| 3 months on, SMC violating HC order | | 70 % waste taken to landfill; rest dumped, burnt | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, July 14: Three months ago, a division bench of J&K High Court directed Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) to take mere 10 % of waste to its landfill site, but reliable sources say that even today SMC continues to take 70 % of waste to landfill site and the rest is either dumped in water-bodies, open spaces or burnt by the municipal staff / rag pickers.
Details available with Early Times reveal that Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) continues to violate the High Court order as large amount of un-segregated waste (70 to 80 % of total waste generated in city) is being dumped at Srinagar's Acchan landfill site which is open violation of High Court order and Solid Waste Management Rules (SWM Rules 2016). High Court division bench headed by the then acting Chief Justice S Ramalingam had issued the interim order to SMC in April this year while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Srinagar based NGO Environmental Policy Group (EPG).
The then Advocate General Jehangir Iqbal Ganai had appeared on behalf of the Government and told the division bench that Housing and Urban Development department has issued several tenders and few works have already been allotted to some bidders in by SMC . The acting Chief Justice S Ramalingam advised the Government during the case hearing that Government must adopt the models of cities where best solid waste management practices are being put into use. Inspite of more than 3 months SMC is not abiding by the HC order of taking mere 10 % of waste to landfill as rest of the waste is to be treated at mohalla or colonies itself.
As reported already Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) , Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and all other Municipal Committees and Councils across the state continue to dump 80 to 100 % untreated garbage at their respective dumping sites which is in violation of interim order of J&K High Court division bench which had directed to take only 10 % waste to the landfill sites.
Sources in SMC told Early Times that its men with help of some NGOs had started segregating the waste in some selected wards of Srinagar but the sanitation staff later on again mix it while loading the same in huge load carriers and compactors which is defeating the whole process of SWM Rules 2016. A senior SMC officer (name withheld) authenticated this fact. He said that SMC has dearth of vehicles and that is the reason segregation of waste is not possible in all wards of SMC.
"In many wards work on Information Education & Communication (IEC) and source segregation of waste has been suspended on the direction of Commissioner , the reason is dearth of vehicular support in these areas " said the officer of SMC (name withheld)
The then acting 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 inspite of lapse of more than 3 months. |
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