Bisma Bhat
Srinagar, Dec 2: The government is yet to complete paper work for installing the much-needed Solid Waste Management Plant here.
Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) seems clueless about how much more time the Housing and Urban Department and the Power Development Department are going to take.
Earlier in 2015, National Green Tribunal (NGT) had passed an order for setting up a 5MW waste-to-energy plant here and the city’s municipality had been tasked with its installation. However, the SMC is yet to establish the plant despite reminders issued to the SMC by the NGT.
The National Green Tribunal has extended the deadline by 18 months after signing of project in December last year. The NGT has also warned of a likely fine of Rs 50,000 for each day of delay.
Joint Commissioner SMC, Abdul Majeed Raina, told The Kashmir Monitor: “The documents are lying with two departments, Housing and Urban Development Department and Power Development Department. Once they are signed by them we will start work of installation.”
Within these two departments the documents are in to and fro motion since six months, hanging the installation of solid waste management plant in air.
Solid Waste Management Officer, SMC, Nazir Ahmad Baba, said, “These documents were bouncing back to us by these departments to make certain modifications and corrections.”
Baba said that all the modifications suggested by these departments are completed.
“We are hopeful that in coming week the project will be signed.”
Baba said that three companies are to be involved in the installation of solid waste management plant.
“Highland automobiles private limited, Keystone Energies LLP and Aspex infra private limited, are the three companies involved in this plant.”
The plant is to be installed in Srinagar’s land fill site, Achan which comprises of 540 kanals of land. The waste produced per day is collected and brought to dumping site daily.
Moreover Official data of the corporation reveals that the Srinagar city – with a population of 1.4 million – produces between 380 metric tons to 450 metric tons of solid waste every day. About 60 per cent of this is dumped at Achen, a dump yard on the outskirts of Srinagar and 40% includes the debris of the construction material which is used for levelling of low-level areas.
