JKCAG appreciates Distt Adm for issuing a landmark Notification
Srinagar, Aug 9: The Jammu & Kashmir Climate Action Group- JKCAG has appreciated the Bandipora district administration for issuing a notification to make home composting of biodegradable waste mandatory in the town especially for those households who have enough space around their house. In a statement Chairman J&K Climate Action Group-JKCAG Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat termed this as a landmark decision as this would reduce the load on local landfill site at Zalwan area which is illegally operating for last many years in-spite of clear judgement from National Green Tribunal- NGT
” I appreciate the decision taken by DC Bandipora Ms Indu Kanwal by ordering home composting of food waste , kitchen waste and other biodegradable waste in Bandipora town. I hope this practice is followed by entire district soon and DCs in other districts must also issue similar orders which is now mandatory as per Municipal Solid Waste-MSW Rules 2016″ said Dr Raja Muzaffar
What does the Notification say ?
The Notification No: 7 dated 7.08.2026 issued by Deputy Commissioner Bandipora reads:
“Where as the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 mandates source segregation of waste and promotes decentralized processing of biodegradable waste at or near the source of its generation and whereas transportation of biodegradable waste to municipal processing facilities is resource-intensive, environmentally undesirable, and can be substantially reduced through household-level composting, now, therefore, in exercise of the powers vested in the District Administration for ensuring effective implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, it is hereby ordered that every household having adequate space shall process its biodegradable (wet) waste within its own premises through home composting or any other approved mechanical composting method also. With effect from 1st September, 2026, the Municipal Council Bandipora shall discontinue routine door-to-door collection of wet waste from such households. Municipal collection shall primarily be restricted to dry/recyclable waste and residual domestic waste”
The order also mentions that households unable to undertake home composting due to genuine space constraints may submit a self-declaration to the Municipal Council Bandipora, who will assess the case and make suitable arrangements, wherever feasible. The source segregation into wet, dry, sanitary and hazardous waste is now mandatory in Bandipora town for all households, institutions, commercial establishments and other waste generators.
The Bulk Waste Generators-BWGs are supposed to establish and operate in-situ biodegradable waste processing facilities strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026. Pertinently the District Administration already held a meeting with BWGs and were sensitized about this entire process through a detailed workshop which was attended by this author as well in DC office Bandipora on June 30th 2026.
J&K Pollution Control Committee-JKPCC in 2021 had imposed a whooping penalty of more than sixty-four lakhs on Municipal Council Bandipora for the open violation of Municipal Solid Waste Rules 2016 by dumping its waste near Zalwan which is a Wullar catchment area. MC Bandipora went to NGT to challenge the said order of JKPCC but it was upheld and they were directed to pay this amount. The MC Bandipora then went to the Supreme Court who not only upheld the order but castigated and lambasted Bandipora municipality. The Supreme Court bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and C T Ravi Kumar in its October 2022 dismissed the MC Bandipora’s plea and ordered them to pay Rs 64 lakh penalty amount. The apex court in its order had said :
“Is it the way you deal with matters? Is it the consciousness of your state? You cannot play with the lives of people. Deposit the fine “
“Unfortunately the MC Bandipora continues to dump waste at Zalwan site in clear violation of not only MSW Rules 2016, Wetland Rules 2017 but this is a violation of SCs and NGT judgements as well” Dr Raja Muzaffar added
