Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 18: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Municipal Council Pulwama to take remedial measures and address grievances related to the dumping of municipal solid waste at Newa village in Pulwama district.
In an order issued on the matter, the Tribunal disposed of a petition concerning the unscientific dumping of municipal solid waste by the MC on Karewa land near Newa village, surrounded by apple and almond orchards.
The case was disposed of on the very first hearing.
The order also directed the Jammu & Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) to inspect the site after three months to verify whether remedial action has been taken.
The Tribunal further authorized the JKPCC to impose a penalty on the Municipal Council Pulwama if violations persist.
“If the violation is found to be continuing, appropriate action for imposition of environmental compensation will be initiated by respondent number 2 (JKPCC),” read the NGT’s order.
The Principal Bench, comprising Justice Prakash Srivastava and Expert Member Dr. A. Shenthil Veil, directed the petitioner, Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat, to approach the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the MC Pulwama with a detailed representation.
The Tribunal stated that if the grievance is found to be genuine, the waste must be cleared within three months.
Pertinent to mention here, for years, the MC Pulwama had been dumping solid waste near Dangerpora locality.
After that site became choked, municipal vehicles reportedly began dumping waste in Newa village, around five kilometers from the town.
“The area which has been chosen is Karewa land which is surrounded by apple, plum and almond orchards. The MC Pulwama is openly violating MSW Rules 2016 by bringing waste in mixed form to the site,” said Advocate Saurabh Sharma, counsel for petitioner Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat.
Moreover, he noted, the waste is being buried under the soil and during evening the waste is burnt as well which is all illegal.
“We have its clear photos and videos that were produced before Hon’ble NGT. This site can’t be developed even as a sanitary landfill site due to its location on an elevated land surface.”
The petition, filed as Original Application (OA No. 515-2025), alleged that the MC Pulwama was illegally and unscientifically dumping municipal, biomedical, and plastic waste on Karewa land in the Haes Khodd area of Newa, in violation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The petitioner also noted that no source segregation of waste was being done and that unsegregated waste was being dumped in violation of environmental norms.
The applicant also raised concerns over aircraft movement in the area, stating that large numbers of birds, especially eagles, had been seen near the garbage site over the past few months, which could pose a risk of bird strikes.
In its order, the tribunal noted that while the applicant’s counsel had referred to photographs and an earlier complaint submitted to authorities, “no comprehensive similar complaint addressed to the CEO, Municipal Council, Pulwama alone, is on record.”
The NGT added that the grievance “needs to be looked into by the CEO at the first instance and if the allegation is found to be correct, expeditious remedial action is required to be taken.”
The tribunal permitted the applicant to submit a detailed complaint along with all supporting material, after which the CEO will conduct a spot inspection and take appropriate remedial measures within three months of receipt.
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