SRINAGAR: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notice to the Jammu and Kashmir Government over alleged illegal and unscientific dumping of municipal solid waste at Ohangam village in Budgam district, directing the J&K Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) to conduct a fresh spot inspection and submit a status and action-taken report.
The order was passed by the Principal Bench of the NGT, headed by Chairperson Justice Prakash Srivastava, on an application filed by environmental activist and petitioner Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat.
The application raises concerns over the dumping of untreated municipal solid waste at Ohangam in Rural Development Department’s Rathsun Block for the past several years. The petitioner has alleged that the Assistant Commissioner Panchayat, Budgam, and the Block Development Officer, Rural Development Block Rathsun, were responsible for allowing the dumping despite opposition from local residents.
According to the application, the dumping site is located close to a main road and is surrounded by three water canals, raising concerns about environmental contamination and alleged violations of the Solid Waste Management Rules.
The petitioner’s counsel, Advocate Saurabh Sharma, placed geotagged photographs and an inspection report prepared by the JKPCC before the tribunal in support of the allegations.
The JKPCC had already inspected the site in June this year following protests by local residents against the dumping of waste and the proposed establishment of a waste-processing facility in the area.
The inspection report recorded that waste was being dumped along the Ohangam-Rathsun-Soibugh road, described as a major district road connecting several villages. The inspection team also observed construction activity at the plinth level at the site.
The report noted that the dumping location was approximately 125 metres from an educational institution and around 120 metres from the nearest house, while orchards surrounded the site. Stray dogs were also found roaming around the dumped waste, which the report said posed a potential threat to local residents and schoolchildren.
The inspection team further reported that foul odour from the waste was noticeable on the road, causing inconvenience to road users and constituting a public nuisance.
The JKPCC report identified the Rural Development Department, Budgam, the Assistant Commissioner Panchayat and the BDO Rathsun as the concerned authorities responsible for ensuring segregation, processing and scientific disposal of waste under the applicable waste-management rules.
Taking note of the allegations, the NGT said the original application raised “substantial issues relating to compliance of the environmental norms” and issued notice to the respondents.
The tribunal directed the petitioner to serve the respondents and file an affidavit of service at least one week before the next hearing. In the meantime, it directed JKPCC to conduct a spot inspection, ascertain the actual status of the alleged illegal dumping and, if the allegations were found to be correct, take appropriate punitive and remedial measures.
The tribunal has directed JKPCC to submit its status and action-taken report at least one week before the next date of hearing.
Bhat has also challenged the reported plan to establish a plastic-waste processing facility at the same location.
“It is ironic that tons of untreated waste has been dumped at Ohangam in the last two years by RDD Rathsun Block and the site selection was not done by the local Halqa Majlis/Gram Sabha,” Bhat said.
He alleged that the proposed waste-management plant was being planned at a site where the consent of the local Halqa Majlis/Gram Sabha had not been obtained.
Bhat further argued that the proposed facility should instead be located in an industrial estate and alleged that establishing such a plant in a village against the wishes of local residents would be contrary to applicable waste-management regulations.
The matter is now listed before the NGT for further hearing on October 29.
