SRINAGAR: Indiscriminate dumping and burning of municipal waste across Rajouri town, including along riverbanks and residential areas, has come under sharp scrutiny of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), with a report by the J&K Pollution Control Committee flagging serious violations and warning that no improvement has been observed on the ground despite a ₹5.45 crore environmental compensation imposed on the Municipal Council.
The report was submitted before the NGT in connection with Original Application No. 132 of 2026 titled Amit Sharma vs UT of J&K & Ors., following directions issued by the Tribunal on March 16, 2026, seeking verification of allegations regarding unscientific waste disposal in Rajouri.
Acting on the Tribunal’s orders, a joint committee comprising officials of the J&K Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) and the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri was constituted to conduct site inspections, assess the situation on the ground and recommend remedial measures.
According to the findings, indiscriminate dumping and open burning of municipal solid waste was observed at multiple locations across the town, including Bela Bus Stand, the stretch from Salani Bridge to Tariq Bridge, Jawahar Nagar and several other areas. The report notes that waste is not only being dumped in open spaces but also along riverbanks and near residential colonies, posing serious environmental and public health risks.
Particularly alarming is the finding that uncollected waste from newly developed colonies such as Kheora and Bela Colony is being directly disposed into the Manwar Tawi river and adjoining water channels, ultimately contaminating downstream water bodies.
The committee also recorded a grave violation of environmental norms, noting that biomedical waste was found mixed with municipal solid waste at Bela Bus Stand. This, the report states, is in direct violation of the Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016, as well as the Solid Waste Management Rules.
Further instances of dumping were documented in areas such as Peerkanju, Talwal, Pathanmora, Phalayana, Manhas Mohalla, Thudi, Khandli Bridge and along the banks of Manwar Tawi and Sakhtoh river, where untreated waste is being discharged into natural drains and tributaries.
Despite earlier action by the JKPCC, including the imposition of an environmental compensation of ₹545.28 lakh on the Municipal Council Rajouri, the report clearly states that no significant improvement has been observed on the ground.
The Pollution Control Committee has now urged the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri to initiate recovery of the environmental compensation amount from the Municipal Council, as the penalty remains unpaid. It has also called for strict action under environmental laws for continued non-compliance.
The report underscores that the ongoing violations reflect systemic failure in solid waste management, warning that continued inaction could lead to further environmental degradation, particularly of river systems in the region.
The matter is now under consideration of the National Green Tribunal, which is expected to review the findings and take further action based on the compliance report and subsequent responses from the concerned authorities.
