Pulwama, Jun 19 (KNO): In a significant relief to the residents of Pulwama town, the district administration has announced that no fresh garbage will be dumped at the existing sites along the Circular Road.
The long-standing issue, which had drawn criticism from locals and civil activists, is finally seeing movement after months of delays due to tender-related hurdles.
An official of MC Pulwama told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a private firm that has been awarded the contract will be responsible for shifting all existing waste from both sites to the designated solid waste management plant. “This process will be completed within 10 to 15 days,” he said.
Furthermore, a new dumping site in Newa area has been already identified and is expected to be fully functional within the next one month.
He said that the tendering process for the required mechanical components has now been taken by Managing Director of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) as repeated tenders didn't get any response here and they are expecting that site will be functional in next one month.
This development follows prolonged public outrage over the continued dumping of solid waste near the Government Degree College (GDC) for Women, causing severe inconvenience to students, shopkeepers, and commuters.
“The stench makes it difficult to even open windows. We’ve been raising this issue for years, but nothing happened,” said Rouf Ahmad, a local social activist.
Zeeshan Ahmad Bhat, another resident, added, “The garbage has led to a rise in stray dogs and is a threat to our health and safety.”
Locals have long criticized the choice of a residential area for dumping municipal waste, calling it a reflection of the administration’s disregard for public welfare.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Pulwama, Dr. Basharat Qayoom acknowledged the delay in operationalizing Newa waste management facility due to poor response to multiple tenders for machinery.
The DC reiterated that the administration is committed to addressing public grievances and assured that all necessary measures are being taken to relocate the dumping operations away from populated areas.
The swift execution of this plan is expected to bring long-awaited relief to the town’s residents, who have repeatedly appealed for action and raised serious concerns about health, hygiene, and the environment—(KNO)