Kulgam, Aug 21: Despite 6,535 waste collection and segregation sheds were constructed as part of the initiative of Govt, aimed to provide intervention for the safe management of solid and liquid waste (SLW) in every gram panchayat of the Union Territory (UT), but SBM-G failed to make a positive impact on the ground, as situation in the many villages across Kulgam district is still the same as it was before the campaign was launched.
Locals said the Panchayats built waste disposal trenches but are already filled despite the villagers were promised of regular waste transportation.
“Overflowing trenches, trashbins, Unsegregated waste overflows in sheds located near water bodies can be found in various areas in Kulgam district and foul smell emitting from it, It is impossible to stand near by” locals said.
These waste segregation shed has been set up near water bodies which is the source of drinking water for a thousands of people, which is
the clear violation of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and Water -Prevention & Control of Act 1974.
Many sheds are completely empty as they are located at odd locations where nobody even carries the waste, They have been constructed only to utilize the funds (Rs 5.60 lakhs approximately) made available by Govt of India for each Gram Panchayat under SBM Gramin phase II.
As per the data at an average Rs 5 lakhs are provided to each Panchayat for constructing segregation sheds , compost pits and soakage pits in th district, this makes it clear that we have no deficiency of funds under the rural infrastructure and waste management sector, What we lack is the dearth of technical human resources who could have made SBM Gramin successful. This is a big lacuna which needs to be addressed.
The Solid Waste Management Rules of 2016 lay special emphasis on source segregation of waste that mandates to channelise the waste to wealth by recovery, reuse and recycle.
