Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 1: High Court has sought a comprehensive affidavit from Director Urban Local Bodies Kashmir indicating therein the steps taken for collection of garbage in accordance with law in Sopore area.
The direction from the Division Bench of Chief Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey and Justice V C Koul followed after the Director who was present in person before the court orally submitted the steps taken to treat the solid waste emanating from the area.
The Director ULB, Mathoora Masoom, apprised the bench that a comprehensive plan was prepared for ensuring cleanliness and collection of garbage and its disposal in tune with the scheme of law.
She further added that the establishment of Material Recovery Facility (MRF) is a time consuming affair, but the Department has already initiated the process of designing these MRFs for further preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPR) from the R&B Departments.
She informed that the plan for execution will take some time, but in the meanwhile, the garbage is dumped at Jetty Khawjabagh, Baramulla, so far as collection of garbage from Municipal Council Baramulla and Municipal Council, Sopore is concerned.
“We direct the Director, Urban Local Bodies, Kashmir, to file comprehensive affidavit, indicating all the steps, as mentioned orally by her before this court in order to ensure the compliance of laws on the disposal of the garbage with copy in advance to other side”, DB directed.
The petitioners-residents of the area are at liberty to file the response to the affidavit if so filed by the Director. “The Executive Officers, Municipal Council, Baramulla and Sopore shall ensure collection of garbage and its dumping at the site identified and the same shall also be done in case of other Municipal Councils. In the event, affidavit is filed, the Director, Urban Local Bodies, Kashmir, need not to appear on the next date of hearing”, reads the order.
The land measuring 40 Kanals for dumping of garbage has been transferred by the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir in terms of order dated 05.04.2022, situated at Darnamabal, Sopore, near Sofi Akbar Road but the same has not been used for dumping, as the NOC has not been issued by the Pollution Control Board.
The Action Taken Report filed by the respondents reveals that the Municipal Committee had identified the land measuring 19 Kanals and 05 Marlas located at Ninglee estate Darnambal for setting up of Solid Waste Management Facility. The report further reveals that the DPR for the integrated Solid Waste Management Facility has also been prepared by the Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Sopore, which stands submitted for necessary approval and for release of the funds to the tune of Rs. 4.30 crores.
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