Now Reading: Srinagar landfill crisis threatens Kashmir image
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Srinagar landfill crisis threatens Kashmir image
Srinagar's Achan landfill has grown into a million-tonne garbage mountain, with fresh waste arriving daily. The site, spanning several acres, is filled with mixed waste that towers over the surrounding area, posing…
Srinagar's Achan landfill has grown into a million-tonne garbage mountain, with fresh waste arriving daily. The site, spanning several acres, is filled with mixed waste that towers over the surrounding area, posing serious environmental and health risks.
The landfill has been operational for decades, but waste management infrastructure has not kept pace with the city's growing population. Local residents report foul odours and contamination of groundwater, while environmentalists warn of long-term damage to the valley's ecosystem.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has announced plans to set up a new waste processing plant, but no timeline has been given. The Achan site continues to receive garbage, with no immediate solution in sight for the mounting crisis.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Achan landfill has been the sole dumping ground for Srinagar's municipal waste since the 1980s, receiving over 400 tonnes of garbage daily with minimal segregation. The site was declared full in 2004, but remains operational due to the absence of alternatives. Under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, every urban local body is required to process waste and close old landfills within specified deadlines, but compliance across Jammu and Kashmir has been poor. The National Green Tribunal has previously pulled up the state for inaction. With the tourism season approaching, the visual and environmental blight of the garbage mountain directly threatens the region's reputation as a pristine destination. The next critical date is the tribunal's hearing on waste management compliance, scheduled for later this year.
Source: deccanherald.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
