Forms joint committee, directs JKPCC to recover EC
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Feb 26: With the Commissioner Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD) appearing before it, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered a joint committee to conduct an on-spot assessment of solid and liquid waste generated in Srinagar city and Budgam.
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The directive came after the Commissioner Secretary of HUDD failed to provide a satisfactory response to the NGT’s three-member bench, led by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, in a case concerning Doodh Ganga pollution filed by activist Raja Muzaffar Bhat.
The committee, consisting of officials from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC), has been directed to submit its report to the NGT within eight weeks.
In its order issued on February 18, the NGT bench noted that the figures presented by the Commissioner Secretary of HUDD, regarding solid and liquid waste generation in Srinagar, Chadoora and Budgam did not align with earlier disclosures.
The NGT bench in its order said: “…we are of the view that the correct position in respect of solid waste management and liquid waste management is required to be ascertained. Hence, we appoint a joint Committee.”
The committee will also assess the progress made in clearing legacy waste over the past year.
If a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) is found to be operational, the committee will evaluate its performance, including an analysis of the treated water.
According to the order, the joint committee will visit all three local bodies to assess the status of solid and liquid waste generation and treatment, the number of existing STPs, their capacity and utilization, and the amount of legacy waste present.
This case was filed in 2021, and since then, the NGT has issued several orders, including the imposition of Environmental Compensation on the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Municipal Committee Chadoora, and Municipal Council Budgam.
The Geology and Mining Department Budgam was also fined Rs 1 crore over two years ago.
The bench also criticized the Member Secretary of the J&K Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) for submitting a flawed compliance report on February 17, 2025, concerning four officers, including the former SMC Commissioner, former Chief Engineer of UEED Kashmir, and two Executive Officers from Chadoora and Budgam.
“The compliance report dated 17.02.2025 has been filed by the J&KPCC stating that the complaints have been filed against four officers who remained posted as Commissioner, SMC, Chief Engineer, UEED, J&K and Chief Executive Officer/ Executive Officer, Municipal Committee, Budgam and Chadoora before the adjudicating officer under Section 15 (b) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.”
The order stated that on perusal of the said complaint, it is noticed that the complaint suffers from various defects since the Act and Rules under which the violations have been made “have not been correctly mentioned, and it has not even been stated under which Act the said complaint has been made.”
The NGT bench stated that the complaint suffers from the defect of “non-application of mind.”
“The Member Secretary, J&KPCC submitted that he will re-examine the complaint and will take necessary steps to ensure that the proper complaint mentioning clear violation, violators and the provisions of law is made,” the order read.
During the hearing, the NGT also questioned the Member Secretary of the J&K Pollution Control Committee (PCC) for failing to recover approximately Rs 46.50 crore from the SMC, Municipal Committee Chadoora, and Municipal Council Budgam.
Out of this amount, Rs 41.47 crore was to be recovered from SMC alone, while penalties of Rs 1.41 crore and Rs 3.72 crore were imposed on MC Chadoora and Budgam, respectively, for polluting Doodh Ganga and Mamath Nallah.
“The Member Secretary, J&KPCC, during the previous proceeding, had stated that prompt action will be taken to recover the said EC. Thereafter, almost four months have passed, but no effective action has been taken for the recovery of EC,” the order stated.
The Member Secretary, J&KPCC, has per the order, has sought last opportunity for taking effective steps and file a report concerning the progress made in the recovery of EC.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Secretary of HUDD, who appeared before the NGT via virtual mode on February 18, 2025, informed the tribunal that Budgam generates 6.18 TPD of solid waste, of which 3.4 TPD is treated.
She stated that all legacy waste in Budgam has been remediated, and currently, there is zero legacy waste within the local body’s jurisdiction.
She further disclosed that Budgam generates 2.23 MLD of sewage, but there is no STP, resulting in untreated sewage flowing into water bodies.
Regarding Chadoora, she stated that 3.05 TPD of solid waste is generated, all of which is treated within local limits, with no legacy waste remaining.
She also noted that Chadoora generates 0.94 MLD of sewage but lacks an STP.
For Srinagar, she reported that 525 TPD of solid waste is generated, with 184.5 TPD treated, while 11 lakh MT of legacy waste remains. She added that Srinagar produces 158 MLD of sewage, with 11 STPs treating 67.28 MLD.
According to the NGT’s order, these figures did not align with earlier disclosures, prompting the formation of a committee to verify the facts.
The case is scheduled for the next hearing on May 22, 2025.
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