The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Principal Bench has ordered the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC) and District Magistrate of Poonch to provide a joint report on the issue of polluting the Poonch River with hazardous waste. The NGT acted on an application filed by an RTI activist who raised concerns about the unscientific dumping of solid and biomedical waste in the area. The NGT directed the authorities to verify the facts and take remedial action within two months. The J&K PCC will be the coordinating agency for compliance, and the report must mention the steps taken to prevent such dumping and manage waste in the area.
The lack of proper landfill sites in Jammu and Kashmir is causing solid waste to be dumped in the open, which is harmful to both the environment and human health. There are very few scientifically designed landfill sites in the region, and even the ones in Srinagar and Jammu are unable to accommodate more waste. As Poonch town does not have a sanitary landfill site as mandated by the 2016 Solid Waste Management Rules, the solid waste is being disposed of improperly and dumped near the banks of the Poonch river. This is leading to soil and water contamination. It is a matter of serious concern that the District Administration Poonch and Municipal Council Poonch have failed to operate and maintain the sanitary landfill as required under Schedule I of the Solid Waste Management Rules.
As the world celebrated Earth Day with the theme “Invest in Our Planet,” it is essential for the Government to prioritise the provision of safe drinking water to its citizens. The Government has allocated a substantial budget to ensure the supply of clean drinking water to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The administration must eliminate waste from all sources of drinking water, including the Poonch River.
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