Solid waste earth filled near Wullar wetland: RTI Movement

SRINAGAR: As National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Jammu & Kashmir High Court have taken cognisance of illegal dumping of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) by Municipal Council Sopore at Ninglee Tarzoo area near Wullar Wetland, the municipal authorities, according to RTI Movement, hired more than 150 labourers on Friday along with JCBs to earth fill the entire garbage dumping site.

RTI Movement further alleges that this was being done to paint a different picture for NGT and J&K High Court as they have sought a detailed report from the Government about this illegal garbage dumping.

In a statement Chairman Jammu & Kashmir RTI Movement Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat said that Municipal Institutions are the guardians of environment and wetlands , but they themselves are destroying the same. MC Sopore was supposed to enforce the laws governing the environment especially Environmental Protection Act 1986 and MSW Rules 2016 but this council has turned out to be lawbreaker as unsegregated waste is being dumped at Ninglee, a catchment of Wullar lake for the last 5 months.

“When the High Court Chief Justice in her order said she would make personal inspection of the area which was covered by local newspapers as well , the authorities in order to hide their misdeeds are further committing a crime by earth filling the waste plus burning it as well . But we have video-graphed everything and will be producing the same before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and High Court of J&K soon” Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat  who is also the Petitioner before NGT on Wullar wetland garbage dumping added 

Local residents of Ninglee Tarzoo through their counsel Advocate Shafqat Nazir have filed a PIL in JK High Court which was listed before Chief Justice a few days back who informed that she would be making personal inspection of the area. On July 8^th  complaint filed by Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat was listed before a 4 member bench of NGT headed by Justice Adarash Kumar Goel. In his ordr Justice Goel sought a report from Deputy Commissioner Baramulla , Director Pollution Control Board and Member Secretary JK Wetlands Authority.

The JK Wetlands Authority has not been constituted by Govt and RTI Movement has already written to the Chief Secretary in this regard some time back.