Govt lays out rural waste management measures in Assembly
Srinagar, Feb 10: The government on Tuesday told the Legislative Assembly that a comprehensive solid waste management (SWM) plan is being implemented across rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir, covering all blocks and panchayats, even as it acknowledged gaps in segregation, monitoring and maintenance.
Replying to a question by legislator Riyaz Ahmad Khan regarding waste management, particularly in Shangus–Anantnag East constituency, Minister for Rural Development Javid Ahmad Dar said the district-wide SWM plan covers all blocks, including Shangus, Khoveripora, Achabal and Chittergul.
He said at least one segregation shed has been established in every panchayat, along with community compost pits, individual household compost pits for biodegradable waste and dustbins for non-biodegradable waste. The minister added that a centralised Plastic Waste Management Unit (PWMU) has been set up in all 16 blocks of Anantnag district.
However, the government admitted that segregation of waste at source is not yet fully functional in rural areas.
The minister said the department is intensifying Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities and awareness campaigns to promote behavioural change. Segregation at PWMUs, he said, is currently being carried out on a fortnightly basis.
Providing constituency-specific details, the government said 84 segregation sheds, 117 community compost pits, 291 community soak pits, 101 community sanitary complexes and four PWMUs have been constructed in Shangus–Anantnag East so far. It also informed the House that nine vehicles have been procured for door-to-door waste collection in the constituency.
Raising concerns over the ground situation, MLA Riyaz Ahmad Khan said heaps of garbage remain visible in several villages, contradicting official claims. He alleged that many segregation sheds have been constructed near water bodies and in densely populated areas, attracting stray dogs and posing serious health risks.
“Most of the segregation sheds are located near water bodies and amid dense population. This attracts stray dogs and becomes the cause of various diseases,” Khan said, also flagging the absence of an effective monitoring mechanism.
Responding, the government acknowledged shortcomings in operation and maintenance (O&M) despite infrastructure being in place and stressed the need for greater civic responsibility.
The minister said lack of funds had been a major challenge for maintenance but informed the House that a proposal submitted by the Rural Development Department has now been approved. He added that the Finance Department has earmarked 10 per cent of the annual PRI Capex allocation exclusively for O&M of solid and liquid waste management assets, a decision to be formally announced by the Chief Minister.
On environmental and public health concerns, the government admitted that improper dumping of solid waste can cause environmental degradation and health hazards, but said no vulnerable dumping sites have been officially identified in the constituency. It added that any instance of open dumping reported to the department is cleared immediately and that suitable dumping sites are being identified.
The House was also informed that additional infrastructure is under execution during the current financial year, including five segregation sheds, 68 community compost pits, 83 community soak pits and 84 community sanitary complexes.
Looking ahead, the government said proposals under the Annual Action Plan 2026–27 include construction of 1,998 individual compost pits, 10 community compost pits, 10,456 individual soak pits, 25 community soak pits and procurement of eight motorised vehicles under SBM-G in convergence with MGNREGA.
It has also proposed 31 additional vehicles, 670 community dustbins and three lakh individual dustbins for Anantnag district to strengthen door-to-door collection and segregation at source.
On monitoring and enforcement, the government said bye-laws have been framed and notified for every panchayat, with regular monitoring by officers and field functionaries. Violators of waste management norms, it said, are liable to be penalised.
