Srinagar, July 16: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Thursday visited the Achan Integrated Waste Management Facility to review Srinagar’s waste management infrastructure and assess the progress of key initiatives being implemented by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) for scientific processing, treatment and environmentally sound disposal of municipal solid waste.
The Chief Secretary was accompanied by Mandeep Kaur, Commissioner Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department (H&UDD); Faz Lul Haseeb, Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation; Joint Commissioners of SMC and other senior officers.
During the visit, the Chief Secretary conducted a comprehensive inspection of the facility and reviewed every critical component of Srinagar’s integrated solid waste management system. These included door-to-door waste collection, source segregation, transportation, scientific processing of municipal solid waste, biomining and scientific reclamation of legacy waste, leachate treatment systems, environmental monitoring protocols and compliance with the statutory environmental norms.
The Chief Secretary was briefed on the ongoing capacity augmentation, modernization of waste processing infrastructure, adoption of advanced technologies and initiatives aimed at improving the operational efficiency in line with the objectives of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0 and national environmental standards.
Briefing the Chief Secretary, Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, highlighted the Corporation’s sustained efforts to transform the municipal solid waste management through infrastructure expansion, scientific processing, enhanced source segregation, optimized collection and transportation systems, mechanization and technology-driven monitoring. He informed that the SMC is implementing several strategic interventions to build a modern, efficient and environmentally sustainable waste management ecosystem capable of meeting the city’s growing sanitation requirements.
The Commissioner further informed that the Corporation is undertaking the scientific bioremediation and reclamation of legacy waste at the Achan dumpsite under Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0, a landmark environmental initiative aimed at eliminating the decades-old accumulated waste, reclaiming valuable land resources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, preventing groundwater contamination and significantly improving the environmental quality of the area. He added that the project represents a major step towards transforming Achan into a fully compliant, state-of-the-art integrated waste management facility based on sustainable technologies and global best practices.
Appreciating the significant progress made by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, the Chief Secretary emphasized the need for sustained institutional commitment towards scientific waste management, timely augmentation of infrastructure, accelerated remediation of legacy waste, strict environmental compliance and adoption of innovative technologies for efficient resource recovery and waste processing. He stressed that effective inter-departmental coordination, continuous monitoring and citizen participation would remain crucial for achieving the long-term environmental sustainability and improved urban sanitation.
The Chief Secretary reiterated that scientific management of municipal solid waste is fundamental to build resilient, healthy, and sustainable cities. He called upon all the stakeholders to work collectively towards achieving the highest standards of environmental governance, operational excellence and public service delivery while ensuring the protection of natural resources and public health.
The visit reaffirmed the Government of Jammu and Kashmir’s unwavering commitment, in partnership with the Srinagar Municipal Corporation and allied agencies, to strengthen the scientific waste management systems, promote environmental stewardship, advancing sustainable urban development and create a cleaner, greener and more resilient Srinagar for the future generations.
