Srinagar, Sep 28 (KNO): The proposed Rs 361-crore Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) project at Achan in Srinagar is currently at the tendering stage, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah informed the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday.
Replying to a question by MLA Mubarik Gul during Question Hour, the Chief Minister, who is also Minister in charge of Housing and Urban Development, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the proposed project has a waste-processing capacity of 800 tonnes per day and includes a construction period of 24 months within a 25-year project timeline.
He said the integrated project comprises composting facilities, a Bio-CBG plant, Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), a Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) facility, scientific sanitary landfill, transfer stations, leachate management infrastructure and other ancillary environmental infrastructure.
The Chief Minister informed the House that no agency or contractor has been allotted the project so far as the tendering process is currently underway.
SMC UNDERTAKING SEVERAL STEPS FOR SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT OF MUNICIPAL WASTE
He said the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) is undertaking several measures for scientific management of municipal waste, environmental protection and remediation of legacy waste at Achan until the new integrated project is commissioned. “The SMC is currently managing around 500–550 TPD of municipal solid waste generated within Srinagar municipal limits through collection, transportation, processing and disposal.”
The civic body has achieved 100 per cent door-to-door waste collection across all wards, while around 60 per cent source segregation is being achieved through information, education and communication campaigns, public participation and strengthened collection mechanisms.
The SMC has also deployed more than 380 waste collection and transportation vehicles and engaged over 2,700 sanitation workers for collection, transportation and sanitation services.
At Achan, a 100 TPD Material Recovery Facility has been established for segregation and recovery of recyclable materials, including plastics, paper, cardboard and metals. The facility is being operated and maintained through a specialised agency for scientific processing and channelisation of recyclable material to authorised recyclers and end users.
An 85 TPD wet waste processing plant has also been established at Achan for scientific processing of segregated wet and biodegradable municipal solid waste.
On the legacy waste at the Achan dumpsite, the Chief Minister informed the House that biomining and bioremediation of approximately 11 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste has been taken up.
The work has been awarded to a specialised agency, with windrow formation and associated civil works currently underway. Scientific segregation, recovery of recyclable material and stabilisation of waste fractions are being carried out as part of the remediation process.
A 60 KLD leachate treatment plant is also under construction at the site for scientific management and disposal of leachate.
The Chief Minister further informed that a 125 TPD Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Management Facility is being established at Achan under SBM-U 2.0. The work has been awarded, civil works completed and mechanical works and equipment installation are currently underway.
Once commissioned, the facility will enable scientific processing of C&D waste, recovery and reuse of construction materials and reduction in illegal dumping.
‘10 KM OF DAL LAKE INTERNAL CHANNELS DREDGED IN 3 YEARS’
The Chief Minister also informed the House that around 10 kilometres of internal channels and waterways of Dal Lake and adjoining lake interiors have been cleaned or dredged during the last three years.
Replying to a question by MLA Tanvir Sadiq, Omar said further dredging of priority channels was being undertaken through departmentally owned machinery, while internal channels and waterways were being regularly cleared through manual deweeding and collection of solid waste.
During the current financial year, mechanical dredging has been carried out in several important channels using departmentally owned water masters, including the channel from Dol Damb to Meena Bazar through Angraz Hut and two main channels in Khushalsar from Saidipora Bridge to Firdousabad Colony and Sazgiripora.
He said dredging and deepening of the main Gilsar had also been almost completed.
On sewage inflows into Dal and Nigeen lakes, the Chief Minister said sewage from the periphery and adjoining areas, as well as houseboats in the two lakes, was being catered to through five Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). These include the 16.10 MLD Brari-Numbal STP, 5.4 MLD Nallah Amir Khan STP, 7.5 MLD Hazratbal STP, 3.2 MLD Habak STP and 4.5 MLD Laam STP, catering to different areas around the Dal-Nigeen lake system.
He said a 30 MLD STP at Gupt Ganga was also coming up and was scheduled to be completed within two years. The facility will cater to the northern side of Dal Lake.
Regarding Khushalsar and Gilsar, Omar said the lakes were taken up by the Lakes Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA) in 2025, while the assignment for construction of the sewerage network around the lakes had been given to the Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED).
He further said interior channels, including Jogi Lanker-Rainawari, Chowdary Bagh, Naidyaar, Sabzi Market and Lamba Mohalla, were being continuously cleared through manual deweeding and collection of solid waste. These channels were also dredged during 2023-24.
The Chief Minister said cleaning of such channels would continue, while dredging would be undertaken through departmentally owned machinery on a priority basis.
6 BILLS INTRODUCED
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs portfolio, introduced several Bills in the Legislative Assembly during the ongoing Autumn Session.
He introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2026, designated as L.A. Bill No. 11 of 2026. The proposed legislation seeks to replace permission-based control with rule-based governance and promote ease of doing business and ease of living in the Union Territory. The Bill has already been published in an Extraordinary issue of the Official Gazette.
He also introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Goods and Services Tax Amendment Bill, 2026, designated as L.A. Bill No. 12 of 2026, seeking to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017.
He further introduced the Bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Ministers’ and Ministers of State Salaries Act, 1956, designated as L.A. Bill No. 13 of 2026.
The Chief Minister also introduced L.A. Bill No. 14 of 2026 to amend the Salaries and Allowances of Members of the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature Act, 1960.
Another Bill, L.A. Bill No. 15 of 2026, was introduced to amend the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature Members’ Pension Act, 1984.
The Chief Minister also introduced L.A. Bill No. 16 of 2026, proposing amendments to certain enactments for decriminalising and rationalising offences to promote ease of living and ease of doing business, besides repealing certain enactments and making related provisions. All the Bills have been published in Extraordinary issues of the Official Gazette—(KNO)