Srinagar, Aug 1: Environmental activist Raja Muzaffar Bhat has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has failed to ensure scientific management of waste at the Achan landfill site, resulting in continued environmental degradation and public health concerns.

In a rejoinder filed in Original Application No. 543 of 2024, Bhat alleged that the SMC has not produced sufficient documentary evidence to support its claims of compliance with the Tribunal's directions. He contended that key directives issued by the NGT in 2015 and 2017 remain largely unimplemented.

The applicant alleged that solid, biomedical and plastic waste continues to be dumped in an unscientific manner at Achan, with untreated leachate polluting nearby water bodies, canals and Anchar Lake. He also questioned the effectiveness of anti-odour measures claimed by the SMC, stating that foul smell from the landfill continues to affect nearby areas.

Referring to a report annexed with the rejoinder, Bhat said the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, has repeatedly flagged the persistent foul odour emanating from the landfill. According to the filing, the hospital has expressed concern that the smell is adversely affecting critically ill patients, attendants and hospital staff.

The rejoinder further alleged that the SMC has failed to meet several deadlines committed before the Tribunal. It claimed that the leachate treatment plant is yet to become fully operational, waste cells remain uncapped, and nearly 500 metric tonnes of waste continue to be dumped at the site every day.

The applicant also questioned the progress of the proposed expansion of the Material Recovery Facility from 100 tonnes to 250 tonnes per day, stating that no tangible evidence has been placed on record. He added that biomining work remains at an early stage, with its completion deadline reportedly extended to September 2027.

Bhat further alleged that there has been little progress in expanding the green buffer around the landfill beyond 3,200 trees, while ragpickers continue to work without adequate safety measures despite earlier assurances.

The rejoinder argued that delays in establishing the proposed waste-to-energy plant cannot justify non-compliance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, under which local bodies are responsible for waste collection, segregation, processing and scientific disposal.

Seeking intervention, the applicant urged the NGT to direct the District Magistrate to ensure strict compliance with the Solid Waste Management Rules and initiate appropriate action against the SMC over the alleged violations and continuing environmental damage linked to the Achan landfill.