The Jammu and Kashmir Government has nominated three model towns, one each in three regions of the state, for launching an initiative for scientific solid waste management.
An official said Katra, Pahalgam and Leh have beendesignated as model towns by the Government for implementing Municipal SolidWaste Management Rules of 2016 as recently directed by National Green Tribunal.
A Government order says the three towns located in Kashmir,Jammu and Leh divisions of the state will have to comply with the SWM ruleswithin the next 6 months.
“These model towns shall be torch bearers for the otherurban bodies for implementation of SWM rules 2016. They will serve as modeltowns in the state to be replicated subsequently in other towns and districtsof the state,” reads the order issued by Housing and Urban DevelopmentDepartment.
J&K is ranked among bottom three states in terms ofprocessing of the solid waste generated.
The State is able to process only 8% of the 1415 metrictonnes of waste generated every day.
According to data from Union Housing and Urban AffairsMinistry, Mizoram and West Bengal are the two bottom states processing only 4%and 5 % of solid waste generated respectively.
“Mizoram and West Bengal produced 201 metric tons and 7,700metric tons of waste per day respectively. Jammu and Kashmir produced 1415metric tons waste, but processed only 8%,” the Ministry data reveals.
Since 2012, the waste generation in the State has increasedby over 18% when it stood at 2568 tons per day which went up to 2704 tons in2013, 2844 in 2014 and 2987 tons per day in 2015.
The recently drafted solid waste management policy documentof the State put in the public domain attributes the increase to the growingpopulation.
However, the policy highlights failure of Urban Local Bodiesand Municipal Bodies to “tackle the waste disposal on scientific basis” despitethe municipal agencies spending up to 25% of their annual budget on theseactivities.
According to the Ministry data, 53% of the solid waste of1.45 lakh metric tons generated in the country was processed until Februarythis year with Chhattisgarh topping the list by processing 84% waste followedby Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana.
Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, a flagship program of PrimeMinister Narendra Modi, New Delhi aims to attain 100% scientific management ofsolid waste and also make the country free from open defecation by October 2,2019.
However, draft solid waste management policy of J&K hasrevealed that summer capital Srinagar alone continues to generate 400 metrictons of waste each day.
Earlier a National Green Tribunal report had given 31st rankto J&K for solid waste management policy while Goa, Kerala and Tamil Naduhave been ranked as 1, 2 and 3 respectively.