Waris Fayaz
Srinagar, Oct 09: Despite having no designated landfill or waste processing site, the Municipal Council Sopore has spent over Rs 76 lakh on sanitation and garbage management during the ongoing financial year.
Official data reveals that the Municipal Council Sopore has spent Rs 76.81 lakh on sanitation and garbage disposal up to December 2024.
The expenditure covers POL, vehicle maintenance and wages to outsourced drivers.
The details that come to the fore through a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by a local social activist also revealed that the civic body has fined 85 violators under the Solid Waste Management Rules and collected Rs 73,000 in penalties for illegal waste dumping.
Officials said these actions are part of efforts to enforce sanitation norms and discourage open dumping.
Sopore generates more than 35 metric tons of solid waste every day. Yet, the absence of a designated dumping or waste segregation site has forced the town to rely on temporary and unscientific disposal methods.
Piles of garbage can be seen along the Sopore–Kupwara highway and other key areas, posing serious health and environmental concerns.
Officials admitted that Sopore lacks its own landfill and currently depends on the joint Solid Waste Management Plant at Jetty Khawajabagh in Baramulla for limited waste disposal.
Efforts to establish a local waste site have faced delays due to opposition from residents and administrative hurdles.
Officials, along with local representatives and legislators, meanwhile, continue to assure that Sopore will get its own modern facility, but tangible progress has been limited so far.
Incharge Executive Officer, Wali Mohammad has said a 40-kanal site for a local landfill had already been identified but was temporarily stayed by residents. “Objections have been filed and we are hopeful the stay will be vacated soon. We are working to establish a separate, modern scientific facility that will achieve 100% sanitation in the town,” he said.
With rising waste generation and no permanent disposal site, Sopore’s sanitation system remains under strain despite significant expenditure and repeated assurances from officials.
Residents and civil society groups continue to urge the administration, including the Lieutenant Governor’s office, to expedite the establishment of a solid waste management facility in Sopore—(KNO)
