open view news desk

SRINAGAR : Governor, Jammu & Kashmir Shri Satya Pal Malik (Chairman, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board) was briefed by Sh Umang Narula, Chief Executive Officer about the sanitation arrangements for collection and scientific disposal of wastes generated during the ensuing Yatra. In this regard CEO, SASB held a meeting here at Raj Bhavan today for finalizing the action plan for sanitation arrangements.

The meeting held detailed discussions in regard to garbage collection and its disposal, maintenance of Toilets and Baths, operation and maintenance of Sewage Treatment Plants at Baltal and Nunwan Base Camps and disposal of plastic waste generated during the Yatra period. It was decided that all solid waste generated during Yatra shall be managed by Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA), Sonamarg Development Authority (SDA) and the Shrine Board in their respective areas of responsibility and disposed in the identified garbage collection centres in Sonamarg and Pahalgam where required infrastructure as per Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Rules would be put in place by Pahalgam Development Authority and Sonamarg Development Authority in accordance with the advice of the State Pollution Control Board.

Shri Narula informed the meeting that the Shrine Board has planned to install 2850 Toilets & 516 Baths in the Yatra area alongwith 150 Bottle catchers & 30 Bio Bins. Shrine Board is also installing 1515 Dustbins in 3 different colours to segregate Biomedical, Bio-degradable & Non Bio-degradable wastes during the Yatra.

The meeting was informed that for the scientific treatment of waste water / sewage, two Sewage Treatment plants (STPs), based on decentralized waste water treatment technology, have been commissioned at the Baltal and Nunwan Base Camps by SASB. The STP at Nunwan Base Camp was upgraded with the latest Membrane Bed Bio Reactor ( MBBR) technology during 2018.

CEO urged Deputy Commissioners of Ganderbal and Anantnag districts, CEOs of PDA and SDA and General Manager (Sanitation), SASB, to keep a close watch to ensure segregation of waste collected into biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste and transport non biodegradable waste to the collection centre earmarked for the purpose and ensure its proper disposal.