SRINAGAR: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has questioned the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) over its decision to extend the deadline for clearing the legacy waste at the Achan landfill by one year, directing the civic body to file a detailed affidavit explaining the progress made, treatment of processed waste and the gap between daily waste generation and disposal.
Hearing Original Application No. 543/2024 filed by environmental activist Raja Muzaffar Bhat, a bench headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, and Expert Member Afroz Ahmad noted that SMC had, in an affidavit submitted in September 2025, committed to clearing all legacy waste by March 2027. However, a fresh compliance report dated March 27, 2026, shifted the completion target to March 2028.
The Tribunal observed that the latest report had not been supported by an affidavit and sought an explanation from the Commissioner of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation.
According to the compliance report placed before the Tribunal, the Achan landfill contains nearly 11 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste. SMC informed the Tribunal that bio-mining and remediation have begun and around 40,000 metric tonnes of waste have been processed so far. The processed material is being segregated into recyclables, refuse-derived fuel (RDF), inert material and soil.
The Corporation said one trommel machine and a ballistic separator are operational, while another trommel machine is being installed to scale up bio-mining operations. It maintained that the revised target for completing remediation is now March 2028.
The report also highlighted a substantial gap in Srinagar’s daily waste processing capacity. The city generates around 520 to 550 tonnes of municipal solid waste every day, while existing facilities include a 100-tonne-per-day Material Recovery Facility and a 50-tonne-per-day windrow composting unit. This leaves an untreated waste gap of about 320 to 350 tonnes daily.
To bridge the shortfall, SMC has proposed an 800-tonne-per-day Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility comprising an RDF plant, a compressed biogas (CBG) plant, an expanded Material Recovery Facility and a scientific landfill. The Detailed Project Report has been vetted by NIT Srinagar and submitted for administrative approval before being placed before the Cabinet. The Corporation said tenders would be floated after Cabinet approval.
The compliance report also stated that the effluent treatment plant at Achan has been made functional and leachate management has been integrated with bio-mining operations. Bio-enzymatic treatment, regular environmental monitoring, odour suppression and dust control measures are being undertaken, including the use of more than 10,000 litres of herbal anti-odour solution.
SMC further informed the Tribunal that a 125-tonne-per-day construction and demolition waste processing facility is nearing completion, with civil works finished and mechanical works in progress. It also reported planting 3,200 trees around the landfill and said 35 informal waste pickers are proposed to be integrated into the formal waste management system through training and safety measures.
Not satisfied with the revised timeline alone, the Tribunal directed the Commissioner of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation to specifically disclose how much legacy waste has actually been cleared since September 2025, how the treated waste, compost, inert material and other recovered products have been utilised, the quantity of municipal solid waste generated every day, the quantity scientifically treated each day, and the remaining gap between waste generation and treatment.
Appearing virtually before the Tribunal, SMC Joint Commissioner Syed Abul Qasim sought three weeks to file the Commissioner’s affidavit. The Tribunal accepted the request and listed the matter for further hearing on October 7, 2026.
