Kashmir CA Store operators question environmental compliance notices, demand systemic reforms

By: Imtiyaz Ahmed – Ziraat Times

Srinagar: Cold Atmosphere (CA) store operators across Kashmir have voiced serious concerns following two consecutive notices served by the Pollution Control Board (PCB), with the latest issued on July 1, 2025, warning of potential legal action and environmental compensation for alleged violations of environmental norms.

The notices, affecting at least 40 CA storage units, have sparked anxiety in the industry, which plays a critical role in preserving apples for off-season supply and ensuring stable incomes for thousands of orchardists across the Valley.

Industry stakeholders argue that the current environmental regulatory framework fails to account for the unique operational challenges faced by CA units in Kashmir. One of the key issues flagged is the disposal of C-grade apples, which typically form up to 5% of the stored stock when storage exceeds six months. With more than 5 lakh tonnes of CA storage capacity, even this small percentage results in over 25,000 tonnes of spoiled fruit annually — for which no structured disposal mechanism exists.

“Despite being categorised as a green industry, we are technically treated under higher red-zone classifications when it comes to environmental scrutiny,” one prominent CA store owner told Ziraat Times, requesting anonymity.

“There needs to be policy clarity. We’re not polluters in the traditional sense, but we’re being penalised as if we are.”

Environmentalists maintain that open disposal of C-grade apples.is turning into a bio hazard in Kashmir villages and that a solution needs to be found to this problem of plenty sooner than later.

An official from the Pollution Control Board, while speaking to Ziraat Times, said that they were addressing the concerns highlighted by communities living near industrial sites where C grade apples are being dumped.

“It is a bio hazard situation, and we have to perform our duties”, he added.

CA operators also highlighted their sector’s 10% annual growth, making it a vital infrastructure in Kashmir’s apple economy. They warn that lack of a scientific and regulatory framework for handling organic waste from spoiled apples could hurt both business viability and environmental compliance.

The industry has called for urgent government intervention, including establishing dedicated composting or bio-waste facilities for fruit waste. They have also called for reassessing the categorisation of CA units under environmental regulation.

While the Pollution Control Board insists it is acting in accordance with the law to curb pollution, the CA store industry is urging authorities to adopt a collaborative, not punitive, approach — one that recognizes their economic significance and practical limitations.