Legacy waste piles up as 21 ULBs in J&K still lack processing facilities
JAMMU, Sept 24: Despite multiple interventions, Jammu and Kashmir continues to struggle with solid and sewage waste management. A government affidavit filed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has revealed that 21 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the Union Territory still lack waste processing facilities, while an alarming 22.52 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of legacy waste remains piled up.
Follow the Jammu News Portal channel on WhatsApp
According to the affidavit, 52 out of 78 ULBs have some form of waste processing units in place, with Srinagar and Jammu only having partial capacity. The government has committed to achieving 100% waste processing capacity across all ULBs by June 2026, with Srinagar expected to meet the target by March 2027.
The affidavit further states that 22.43 lakh MT of legacy waste is still lying unattended, with only 3.34 lakh MT processed in the past year. All ULBs, except Srinagar, are expected to clear legacy waste by June 2026, while Srinagar will take until March 2028.
On the issue of sanitary landfills, one facility is currently operational in Srinagar, while three more are under construction at Anantnag, Baramulla, and Jammu. The government also confirmed that Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) funding is being sought from the Centre for disposal of Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF), with cement plants being asked to utilize RDF for disposal.
Wastewater management remains another major concern. The Urban Environment Engineering Department (UEED), the nodal agency for sewage and drainage works, has only 19 officers to manage the workload of the entire UT. To address the crisis, two expert agencies — Green Design (Gujarat) and NCPE (Hyderabad) — have been engaged to prepare DPRs for 76 ULBs on a cluster basis.
For Jammu city, projects under the Interception and Diversion (I&D) network along the Tawi riverfront costing ₹1.15 crore are expected to be completed by March 2026. Additional sewerage works, including Package I & II of nine nullahs, are targeted for completion by December 2025. Missing links in Jammu’s sewerage system will be addressed by March 2027 at a cost of ₹63 crore.
The government also highlighted that a new project at Belicharana is in the pipeline to cover remaining gaps, with execution planned in the current financial year. However, a gap of 127.82 MLD in sewage treatment capacity will persist until new projects are completed by March 2026.
A Ring Fence Account of ₹350 crore has been approved to cover solid and used water management activities, in line with NGT’s directions. The government has pledged strict timelines to ensure compliance and reduction of pollution in rivers and water bodies across J&K.
📲 Follow our WhatsApp ChannelSource: Agencies
Labels: Waste Management, J&K Environment, NGT Affidavit
Tags: #WasteManagement #LegacyWaste #JKULBs #NGT #Environment
Suggested SEO keywords:
- High-volume: J&K waste management, legacy waste in Jammu Kashmir, NGT affidavit
- Low-competition / long-tail: J&K ULBs without waste processing, Jammu sewage treatment projects, Srinagar legacy waste clearance 2028
Disclaimer: This news report is based on official affidavit submissions and agency inputs. Jammu News Portal strives for factual and authentic reporting but does not assume responsibility for inadvertent errors. Readers are advised to refer to NGT and J&K Government notifications for verified details.
Post a Comment