Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (PCC) earlier known as State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) has finally acted over the dumping of municipal solid waste at Darnambal Sopore near Tarzoo.
Local villagers and activists had been alleging that the site was a forest land and a wetland area which was violating all the environmental laws including MSW Rules 2016 and Wetland Conservation and Management Rules 2017.
Member Secretary PCC has issued a direction to its Regional Director Kashmir asking him to constitute a team of officers to visit the site along with District Incharge of PCC Baramulla.
A written complaint had been received by the Member Secretary through the gram sabha of four village panchayats in Tarzoo Darnambal area in Sopore which appealed the PCC to stop illegal waste dumping by Municipal Council Sopore.
Jammu & Kashmir RTI Movement had also been constantly pursuing the PCC and National Green Tribunal (NGT) to stop the illegal practice of MC Sopore as the land was forcibly taken from local panchayat and a large chunk of forest land was identified for setting up of new site.
MC Sopore had last year created a waste disposal site at Ninglee which was shut down after the Chief Justice visited the site in October as locals filed a PIL in J&K High Court.
Locals allege that after her retirement, the officers from the district administration and MC Sopore started dumping municipal waste which includes biomedical waste at Darnambal locality which also violates MSW Rules, Biodiversity Rules, and Wetland Conservation and Management Rules 2017.