The success of the SMC’s initiatives is heavily dependent on the participation and cooperation of the public

Way back in 1981, the J&K Government entrusted UEED with the task of formulation of the feasibility report with the objective of developing the baseline information and parameters for formulating and designing a well-conceived cost-effective scheme for hygienic collection, transportation, and disposal of solid wastes of Greater Srinagar city. The second phase of the work under this project would involve the exercise for the establishment of the appropriate scheme and its engineering aspects. Having retained M/S Universal Enviroscience as a consultant, a report was formulated, which identified and delineated the areas and essential components which were of relevance to the second phase of the work and also provided a conceptual system of the solid waste management programme for Greater Srinagar city.
The subjects covered were:
(I) Review of the growth pattern of Srinagar Town based on population, sectoral activities, geo-climatic and other conditions and land-based use pattern.
(II) Identification and assessment of sources, nature, and quantum of solid wastes in Srinagar town based on sources, nature- physical and chemical characteristics, classification of solid wastes-assessment of recoverable materials and of fuel and fertilizer production and quantum.
(III) Inventory and assessment of existing solid waste collection (including houseboats and dunga boats), transportation and disposal facilities and manpower and workshop facilities.
(IV) Conceptual system of solid waste collection, transportation and hygienic disposal and location of additional sites in Srinagar.
(V) Identification of the areas for further investigations and surveys.
(VI) Guidelines for improvement/modifications of available data/reports.
(VII) Recommendations on financial aspects and time-bound programme of the project.
The physical and chemical characteristics of the solid waste samples revealed that the wastes are most amenable to composting. Besides other recommendations for improving the door-to-door collection system, transportation, and sanitary landfill for a few years, installation of mechanical compost plants at Noorbagh and at the landfill site within a period of five years was recommended to Srinagar Municipality. The recommendations were partly implemented by the SMC, but the main recommendation for installation of a mechanical compost plant (MCP) was shelved for reasons best known to the authorities.
The issue of preparation of a detailed project report on Solid waste Disposal of Srinagar city was again taken up by Srinagar Municipality in 2000 AD, but its results were not known.
The problem of stench in Srinagar city would have been eliminated if the proposed “Mechanical compost plants” had been installed in time, which would have also minimized the land area required for sanitary landfill, besides generating organic compost to be made available to the farmers to enrich their soil. This way the harmful effects of chemical compost would also have been obviated.
I was specially deputed by UEED to New Delhi to inspect the mechanical compost plant of NDMC in the eighties. I also attended an interstate meeting in the Housing Department in New Delhi, which reviewed the already functioning compost plants of different cities. I understood that our state had made no efforts to obtain Central assistance for establishing the mechanical compost plant. Later I was recommended by late Er. G.R. Mir Chief Engineer UEED for visiting Japan to observe their system of disposal of solid and liquid wastes, but it did not mature as my sanction order became victim of red tape in the secretariat offices.
As observed by me at NDMC the process of conversion of compost takes just three weeks by dumping the wastes directly from trucks on a cement concrete platform, sprinkling water and turning the wastes mechanically for 21 days during which period considerable heat gets generated in the wastes and decomposition takes place. Thereafter the wastes are placed on conveyor belts and hand picking is done for any hard materials like stones, metals, glasses, plastics, polythene etc. by the persons who remain on either side of the slow-moving belt. For smaller elements, screening is also recommended. The decomposed waste ultimately goes to the pulveriser, for grinding it into a powder, which is packed in bags to be sold to farmers. There is no problem of stench during this operation as has been observed in various metropolitan cities including the capital city of Delhi.
Every day there is a protest lodged in the media by the inhabitants of the surrounding areas, even the Imam of Jamia Mosque Srinagar has in the past condemned from the pulpit on Friday prayers, the apathy of the authorities for not being able to tackle the problem of the stench emanating from Achan dumping site for the last three decades. Similarly, the Brari-numbal mini lake in the heart of the city has turned out to be a cesspool adding to the already existing foul smell from the Achan site. The STP constructed at a huge cost is nonfunctional and filth from four lakh citizens pours into the mini lake round the clock. The quality of discharge from the STP installed on its garland sewer needs to be monitored closely.
In view of the growing menace of stench spreading into the interior of the city of Srinagar and nearby areas including SKIMS, it is high time that Govt. wakes up to the situation and takes up the construction of the compost plants as recommended by the experts of international repute.
According to the Master Plan of Srinagar Metropolitan area 2000-2021, for a population of 12 lakhs in 2000 AD and an estimated 23.50 lakhs in 2021 AD, Solid Waste including fruit and vegetable wastes works out to 538 tons and 1356 tons/day respectively. Out of 538 tons of solid waste, 300 tons were handled by the Municipality in 2000 AD and the remaining 236 tons of waste was partly dumped in water bodies, partly in ditches and partly salvaged in the form of Kabadi materials at domestic levels. As for the disposal of waste materials, SMC managed to collect the garbage from 308 collection points in 2000 AD (575 points in 2013) within the municipal limits. These collection points are interspersed all over the city on roads in open form. However in 2013, in certain selected areas, plastic dustbins were provided by the SMC and door-to-door collection was made against a monthly charge of Rs 50 per household. This has reduced the open spread of solid waste attracting street dogs, besides spreading local obnoxious smell in these areas.
According to the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, it has at present only one Dumping Site at Syedpora Achan which comprises 540 kanals of land, where the waste is being spread over and is further being covered with clay and the use of disinfectants is also being made. The existing Dumping site is reportedly being improved and modernized in a scientifically engineered landfill site through the financial and technical guidance of the Asian Development Bank. A detailed action plan/project report on this score has been prepared. In fact, some of the works have been reportedly taken up for execution by the J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency against the money released by the Asian Development Bank. All the environmental and other related issues will be redressed under the modernization plan. The modernization of the existing open dumping site into a scientific Sanitary Landfill site was to be taken up for execution by the J&KERA against the estimated cost of Rs 22.00 crores that will take care of all the pollutants including that of air quality, groundwater quality and aesthetic look and landscaping of the interior of Landfill site as per guidelines of J&K SPCB. Besides this, there was to be a permanent facility for regular monitoring of these components in future
As can be viewed from the future programme of SMC regarding the disposal of solid wastes, the recommendation of the construction of Mechanical Compost Plant has been ignored for unknown reasons. It would be prudent if some officers were deputed to inspect the working of the mechanical compost plant of NDMC, whereby they would get a clear idea of its efficiency and its suitability for our conditions.
However, there is encouraging news about SMC as reported in the media recently like adding 150 new collection and transportation vehicles to make the city garbage and dumpster-free. It has started its path-breaking GIS-based and real-time GPS-monitored 100% door-to-door Segregated Waste Collection system and initiated the removal of dumpsters to make the city free of dumpsters and garbage.
Commissioner SMC, Athar Aamir Khan has issued a revised area and ward-wise deployment schedule of garbage collection vehicles across the city to ensure 100% collection of segregated dry and wet waste. The SMC has added more than 150 vehicles to its existing fleet including 100 new light motor vehicles for door-to-door primary collection and around 50 new heavy motor vehicles including modern compactors for secondary transportation. All vehicles have been enabled with GPS devices for real-time monitoring. The GIS mapping and geo-fencing of all areas and wards up to lane level has been done to ensure efficient and timely waste collection. The areas and households to be serviced by each vehicle have been mapped.
The Integrated Solid Waste Management IT System under the Smart City project will enable comprehensive monitoring. It has been enabled with features including live location tracking, route & time deviation alerts, grievance redressal and quality assurance tools. The garbage collection vehicles will reach each household and every commercial establishment including shops in Srinagar City. People will have to hand over the segregated waste to SMC garbage collection vehicles.
SMC is closing all the garbage vulnerable points as well as the sites where dumpsters used to be located. It has been prohibited to deposit waste at such points from now onwards. The general public as well as commercial establishments shall hand over the waste to SMC’s vehicles only and shall refrain from putting them at any other place.
The notification issued by Commissioner SMC, Athar Aamir Khan also informs the general public that in case a Garbage Collection vehicle doesn’t come to their house or establishment or is not on time, the local ward level officers shall be contacted, or SMC’s control room shall be informed. The contact details of concerned ward-level officials and details of vehicles deployed in each area have been shared in the public notification.
The success of the initiative is heavily dependent on the participation and cooperation of the public. Segregated waste collection will help SMC better manage the waste at the Achan site.
SMC is also working on the project for the removal of legacy waste and biomining and bioremediation of existing waste at its Achan Landfill site. The legal waste removal plan has been prepared in consultation with IIT Jammu and NIT Srinagar and has been projected for funding under SBM 2.0 (GNS)
However, the installation of a Mechanical Compost Plant needs to be given serious thought.
The writer is a former Chief Engineer and can be reached at [email protected]

Er Mohammad Ashraf Fazili