Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Dec 22: The waste management plant constructed at a cost of over Rs 6 crore by the Municipal Committee (MC) Awantipora at Dangerpora Padgampora in Pulwama district has allegedly been reduced to an open garbage dumping site.
The apathy and neglect have now prompted demands for a probe by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the office of the Principal Accountant General (PAG) to determine why the plant remained defunct despite the funds being utilized.
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J&K Climate Action Group (JKCAG) alleged that the plant is defunct and that municipal solid waste is being “dumped unscientifically in open violation” of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Rules, 2016.
The group said it recently visited the site and will submit a detailed report to the Government, the ACB and the PAG’s office.
Local residents, as per the JKCAG, said that the site has turned into a safe haven for stray dogs, posing serious risks to people living in the area.
They said packs of dogs roam the locality “like herds of sheep” and frequently attack residents, particularly school-going children and women.
“They do not even spare our livestock, especially sheep. Women are reluctant to go to agricultural fields, and school-going children live in constant fear,” locals said.
As per the group, plastic waste has accumulated in the surrounding paddy fields and gets blown around by gusty winds.
“The pungent smell makes our lives hell, especially during summer months. The people of Dangerpora Padgampora want justice,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, Chairman of the Auqaf Committee, Dangerpora.
Members of the JKCAG, led by Chairman Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, recently inspected the site and found it operating in what they described as open violation of environmental norms.
“The municipal solid waste is lying scattered all over the site. There was a foul smell even in this cold weather, and waste was found burning at three to four different places,” Dr Bhat said.
He said that an irrigation canal supplying water to over 10,000 kanals, equal to 1,250 acres, of paddy land passes through the site and is barely five to seven metres away from the dumping area.
He said the situation amounted to a clear violation of the MSW Rules, 2016, the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
“If Rs 6 crore has been provided by the Government of India for setting up a scientific waste management plant, why is open dumping of waste still being carried out? I appeal to the ACB and the AG’s office to take cognisance of this,” he added.
JKCAG said that the District Officer of the J&K Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC), Pulwama, visited the site in August this year and prepared an inspection report, which stated that the dumping site had come up illegally without obtaining prior consent from the JKPCC.
As per the inspection report, the dumping site has come up “illegally” without prior consent of the JKPCC, thereby creating serious problems for nearby residents.
“An unbearable odour is being generated from the site, which is destroying habitat, biodiversity and the ecosystem.”
The report also noted that poorly managed dumping sites attract insects, stray dogs and birds, increasing the risk of diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and cholera. “Leachate can also contaminate groundwater,” the inspection report said.
The report further noted that the JKPCC had issued a notice to MC Awantipora for violations of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the MSW Rules, 2016.
However, it said, despite the notice, the Municipal Committee continues to dump waste at the site.
“Waste from adjoining localities, Tral town and security force camps is also being dumped at Dangerpora Padgampora. On the other hand, more than Rs 5 crore has already been utilised for this project, yet the output is zero,” Dr Bhat added.
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