WAJAHAT SHABIR
SRINAGAR: Srinagar generates approximately 525 tonnes of municipal solid waste every day, while existing processing facilities can handle only 184.5 tonnes, leaving a daily processing gap of around 340.5 tonnes, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
In a response submitted before the tribunal in Original Application No. 543 of 2024, titled Raja Muzaffar Bhat versus Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the SMC said it was undertaking measures to address the legacy waste at Achan landfill and augment the processing capacity for fresh municipal waste.
According to the response, approximately 11 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste had been assessed at Achan landfill. Of this, around 80,750 metric tonnes had been processed through bio-mining and remediation operations, leaving a balance of approximately 10.19 lakh metric tonnes.
The corporation said the bio-mining process involves excavation, mechanical screening, segregation and recovery of different waste fractions.
The recovered combustible material, or Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF), is being channelled to cement industries for utilisation. Inert material is being placed in a designated storage area, while suitable soil-like material is being used for landscaping. Recyclable material is being segregated for appropriate recovery.
The SMC stated that its existing infrastructure includes a 100-tonne-per-day Material Recovery Facility (MRF) and an 84.5-tonne-per-day window composting facility. Together, these facilities can process approximately 184.5 tonnes of fresh waste daily, against the city’s estimated generation of 525 tonnes. To address the shortfall, the corporation has proposed an 800-tonne-per-day Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility at an estimated cost of ₹361 crore. The response stated that the Detailed Project Report has been vetted by the National Institute of Technology Srinagar, administrative approval has been granted and the tender has been floated.
The proposed facility is expected to cater to the balance fresh waste currently not covered by the existing processing infrastructure and provide additional capacity for future requirements. The SMC said the Effluent Treatment Plant at Achan had been made functional and that leachate management had been integrated with bio-mining operations. Environmental mitigation measures, including developing a green buffer, planting trees, regular water sprinkling, and implementing odour-control measures, are also underway.
The corporation reported that 3,200 trees had been planted and more than 10,000 litres of herbal anti-odour solution had been procured and utilised. It also said a 125-tonne-per-day construction and demolition waste processing facility at Achan was being developed, with physical progress reported at approximately 95 per cent.
Completion was targeted for October 15, 2026. The response was submitted in compliance with the NGT’s July 24, 2026, order, which had directed the Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, to disclose the legacy waste cleared since September 2025, the treatment and utilisation of recovered material, daily fresh waste generation, daily treatment and the gap in processing capacity.
