550 Tonnes Daily: J&K Govt admits Achan dump poses health & environment hazards

Srinagar, Oct 29: J&K Government, while replying to a question regarding the largest garbage dump in Kashmir, today said 550 tonnes of waste is being dumped daily at Achan site in Srinagar. The Housing and Urban Development Department, which is one of the portfolios with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accented that the garbage dump was a constant source of environment and health hazards, while detailing the Action Plan for its bio-remediation.

The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has formulated and is in the process of implementing a comprehensive Action Plan for Scientific Waste Management under Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 and CITIIS 2.0, the Government reply reads. The question by MLA Mubarak Gul sought details of remediation plans. The MLA asked if the delay in formulation of a plan for addressing the issue has resulted in continued health hazards and spughtvdetails of bio-mining and bio-remediation of 11 lakh MT of legacy waste.

The Government, while detailing the steps taken, said Detailed Project Report (DPR) for scientific waste management, vetted by NIT Srinagar has been submitted for financial concurrence. The MLA has asked if the Pollution Control Committee and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) have voiced concerns about long-term health hazards in the said area and what the reasons for delay implementation of a corrective plan have been. The Government has given a clubbed reply to three questions: DPR has been submitted.

Asked whether the NGT imposed Rs. 12 crores fine on SMC for over 1800 days of violations under Solid Waste Management norms in March this year, the Government has said list of officers posted in SMC since 2017-18 was shared with JKPCC. "It (JKPCC) has filed complaints against the concerned officers for violations under relevant provisions of Environment protection act and water Act, 1974, before Adjudicating officer J&K (Commissioner Secretary to Govt, Dept of Forest, Ecology & Environment)" reads the reply.

J&K Government has said the steps being taken to ensure total scientific waste management at Achan Landfill site.Detailing the initiatives it said efforts for minimizing dependency on Achan sote were underway. These include Bio-Mining of Legacy Waste of the volume of 11 lakh MT. In addition, construction of 125 TPD C&D Processing plant105 was also in progress.

Government was also setting up Waste Processing Facilities. These include establishment of 459 TPD Material Recovery Facility (MRF), 300 TPD Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) plant, and 300 TPD Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) Plant under SBM 2.0 and CITIIS 2.0.

Efforts were on for Decentralized Waste Management through development of three Garbage Transfer Stations (GTSs) with a combined capacity of 367.22 TPD,. This will also have localized composting and pre-sorting units.
For health concerns, a Leachate Treatment and Odour Control was being operationalized.
Tw Government has also committed that over 3,200 trees will be planted forming a green buffer around the facility.

Achan Landfill site has been in news for being one of the biggest Environment and Health concerns in Srinagar, affecting thousands of families that live in the vicinity. It is a significant issue for nearby Anchar Lake and SKIMS Soura as well.