Sonamarg, Sep 25: Questions have been raised over the functioning of the Solid Waste Management Plant at Sarbal in Sonamarg after garbage collected from the tourist destination was allegedly being dumped in large pits at the site instead of being processed through the machinery installed there.
The Sonamarg Development Authority established the facility at Sarbal for scientific processing and disposal of solid waste generated in Sonamarg, including waste from hotels, markets and government establishments.
According to reliable sources, the Sonamarg Development Authority collects a sanitation fee of Rs 160 per room every month from major hotels for collection of waste. Separate tenders are also floated for collection of waste generated in the Sonamarg area, with the SDA providing funds to the Roads and Buildings Department for the tendering process.
Sources told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that the collected waste is transported to the Sarbal facility, where it is supposed to undergo segregation and treatment through the machinery installed at the plant.
The SDA has also transferred funds to the Mechanical Development Department for operation of the facility. Sources said approximately Rs 65 lakh was provided for one year to outsource operation of the plant, which was subsequently outsourced.
However, instead of processing the collected waste through the plant's machinery, large pits are reportedly being dug at the site and the waste dumped into them, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The reported practice has raised questions over the utilization of funds spent on operation of the facility as well as its environmental impact, particularly given the location of the plant in the ecologically sensitive Sonamarg area.
The issue has also been subject to environmental scrutiny in the past. A Pollution Control Committee inspection conducted in May 2025 found the Sarbal facility operational but noted that it was not being operated regularly and required regular monitoring. The inspection recorded that the facility had an electro-magnetic disintegrator, an auto-composter and a segregator.
A report placed before the National Green Tribunal had earlier recorded concerns over solid waste management in the Sonamarg area, including unsegregated waste and untreated waste around the Sarbal facility. The facility is located close to the Sindh Nallah.
The latest tender records also show that the Public Works Department initiated a fresh process in August 2026 for operation and maintenance of the Sarbal Solid Waste Management Plant, indicating continued expenditure on operation of the facility.
Members of the public have urged the Sonamarg Development Authority and the Mechanical Department to ensure that the waste is processed and disposed of in accordance with applicable solid waste management and environmental requirements instead of being dumped untreated at the site. [KNT]