New Delhi|: The National Green Tribunal has sought a response from the Jammu and Kashmir administration over allegations of illegal and unscientific dumping of municipal, plastic, and bio-medical waste along National Highway-44 in Pulwama district.
The green body was hearing a plea alleging illegal dumping of waste at Dangerpora Padgampora in Awantipora tehsil in the Union Territory.
In an order dated August 18, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and an expert member said that the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (J&KPCC) had filed a report regarding the claims.
It said, according to the report, “Solid waste is being dumped in an unscientific manner along NH-44 within the territorial area of MC Awantipora, no corrective measures for safe disposal of waste have been taken, and the working shed and compost pit are not operational yet.”
The bench, however, said the report also mentioned that the municipal committee of Awantipora sent a reply to the J&KPCC regarding waste management measures.
According to the reply, 20 kanals of land have been identified for waste management, a door-to-door collection system for segregated waste is now in place, awareness campaigns are being conducted to encourage citizens to separate their trash, and a strict ban has been enforced on disposing of items like plastic bottles, cans, and wrappers in public spaces.
The reply from the tehsil’s civic body further said, “Working shed and composting pits at the designated site at Dangerpora, Padgampora have been completed; 4 metric tonnes (MT) of waste is generated per day within the territorial jurisdiction of MC Awantipora.”
“Approximately 1538 MT of legacy waste has been estimated; more than 50 per cent bio-remediation of estimated legacy waste has been completed, and bio-remediation of remaining legacy waste shall be completed in the coming month.”
The green panel noted that the counsel appearing for the Union Territory requested four weeks to file a reply to the allegations.
Allowing it, the tribunal posted the matter for further proceedings on November 4.
