People’s voice has finally been heard. The Council of Ministers has approved the 800 TPD Integrated Solid Waste Management Project at the Achan landfill site. Estimated to cost ₹361 crore, the project is aimed at enhancing the waste processing capacity of Srinagar city. It will cover collection, segregation, treatment, and disposal of solid waste. The project is expected to significantly improve sanitation standards, reduce environmental pollution, and contribute to cleaner and healthier urban surroundings. The Achan dumping site has been in the headlines for the last few years. Locals have been demanding to relocate the site because it has triggered a health crisis in the vicinity. Stench, swarms of flies, and contaminated water have made life a living hell for the residents. In fact, such stench can be felt miles away from the site during summer. People have taken to the streets to register their protests, but to no avail. Located in the old city with Eidgah on one side and Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, on the other, the Achan landfill site was set up in 1986. In fact, it is the only landfill site that caters to 1.75 million people of Srinagar. The facility handles more than 550 tonnes of solid waste per day. Rapid urbanization and population explosion in Srinagar city had only added to the woes. Policymakers in the eighties failed to gauge the impact of the site on Srinagar’s biggest tertiary health facility. Since it is just kilometers away from SKIMS, patients bear the brunt of the stench during summer. Over the years, many initiatives have been taken to minimize the adverse impact of the site. Spraying anti-odor chemicals and bio-enzymes, alongside improved aeration and controlled layering of waste, were introduced to minimise anaerobic decomposition. Experts even warned that leachate, a black, toxic liquid that seeps from decomposing garbage, can contaminate water bodies. The Integrated Solid Waste Management Project is expected to support long-term urban planning and environmental sustainability efforts while addressing the growing waste management requirements of the city in view of rapid urban expansion and population growth. The project looks good on paper. Yet the real test is its implementation. We have had enough of band-aids, but the stench and health crisis could not be controlled. The government needs to scientifically deal with the problem. Achan is filled to the capacity. We can’t stretch it further. The government must think of creating different scientifically managed facilities away from the city. Artificial intelligence should be used to make things better. Trained staff with proper gear should be posted at these sites. Municipal sanitation staff and collectors should segregate garbage at the source. Resident welfare association and mohalla committees should be roped in to sensitize people about cleanliness and garbage disposal. It will ease the burden of municipal staff and help in disposing of garbage scientifically. Let us all work together for a cleaner and healthier Srinagar!
Achan project
