Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 18: Aghast over management of solid waste in the State despite crores of rupees provided by the Central Government, High Court today sought information from Union of India with regard to allocation of funds for management of solid waste in the State.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice D S Thakur sought an affidavit from Union of India indicating therein various schemes and the funds as also the funds allocated relating to solid waste management and their utilization.
“The Union of India shall also disclose how much funds have been made available to the State of Jammu and Kashmir towards the Solid Waste Management for the last five years”, read the order.
Court in order to handle the solid waste in a proper manner directed the Chief Secretary to convene a meeting with all stake holders and asked him that all the issues relating to Solid Waste Management may be examined.
“A firm action plan regarding the same shall be placed before this Court within six weeks from today. The Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Srinagar is also directed to inform this court about the amount spent and the steps taken for the public awareness on Solid Waste Management”, the DB directed.
It was pointed out by the petitioner before the Court that not only there is non-segregation of the solid waste collected but also only 10% of the segregated waste has been taken to landfill sites and there is no planning about the effective utilization and conversion of the waste into productive use.
“A serious point is raised with regard to the failure of the respondents to manage bio medical wastes generated across the State.
Failure to do so can prove to be a serious danger to public health”, Court recorded.
The petitioners have also informed the court that the Central Government has pumped large amount of funds into the State for the purposes of Solid Waste Management under the Swachh Bharat Mission as well as Urban/Grameen measures with effect from 2nd of October, 2014 and that the funds are being sent by the Central Government for specific purposes including the dissemination of information and increasing public awareness on sanitation and waste issues.
Affidavit filed by the State Government revealed that out of Rs. 12.11 crores received from the Government of India for the purpose, only Rs. 1.22 crores have been utilized.
“It appeared that no efforts have been or are being made towards the Solid Waste Management in the State”, court said and recorded that this case showed the respondents have no understanding either of the issues or the problem.
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