District admin Rajouri orders immediate halt to illegal dumping of municipal solid waste in water body

Directs removal, scientific disposal and accountability

GNS ONLINE NEWS PORTAL

RAJOURI, JULY 14:- The District Administration Rajouri has issued directions for immediate stoppage of unauthorised dumping of municipal solid waste by the Municipal Council Rajouri in and along a water body near Bella Rajouri, to protect the environment and enforce the Solid Waste Management Rules.

The directions have been issued by Deputy Commissioner Rajouri Abhishek Sharma in pursuance of orders of the Supreme Court of India, the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and other applicable legal provisions.

The action follows field inputs and photographic evidence indicating that municipal solid waste was being dumped along the river plain at Bella Rajouri, posing a threat to surface and groundwater, aquatic ecology, public health and flood safety.

The Deputy Commissioner has ordered Executive Officer Municipal Council Rajouri to immediately stop all dumping of municipal solid waste, plastic waste, sanitary waste, construction debris, drain silt or any other refuse in water bodies, drains, nallahs, river banks, flood plains, vacant land or any unauthorised location.

Tehsildar Rajouri, in coordination with the Executive Officer and SHO Rajouri, has been directed to ensure no further dumping takes place and to establish temporary barricading, warning signage and watch-and-ward arrangements within 12 hours.

The Municipal Council has further been directed to deploy adequate manpower and machinery for immediate removal of the dumped waste, with freshly dumped waste to be cleared within 24 hours and remaining accumulated waste within 72 hours. The waste shall be transported only to authorised processing, recycling, composting, MRF or sanitary landfill facilities. Geo-tagged before-and-after photographs and videos of the clearance operation have been sought daily till complete restoration of the site.

A District Level Special Cell has been tasked to inspect the site within 24 hours and submit a factual report within 48 hours covering the exact location, ownership status of the land, quantity and nature of waste dumped, agencies involved, environmental and public health impacts, accountability of officials and contractors, and recommendations for remedial and preventive measures.

Divisional Officer Pollution Control Committee Rajouri has been directed to inspect the site, collect water and soil samples, assess environmental damage and examine the need for environmental compensation and prosecution under relevant laws.

Executive Officer Municipal Council Rajouri has also been served a show-cause notice seeking a detailed explanation regarding the unauthorised dumping, authorised disposal arrangements, vehicle movement records, supervisory responsibility and reasons why the matter should not be treated as a wilful violation of the Solid Waste Management Rules and the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Pending enquiry, the Executive Officer has been instructed to withdraw field responsibilities from officials found prima facie responsible and initiate disciplinary action.

The order further provides for withholding of contractor payments, recovery of cost of waste removal and environmental remediation from responsible agencies, and initiation of blacklisting proceedings wherever warranted.

To ensure sustainable waste management, the Municipal Council has been directed to submit a lawful waste disposal plan detailing ward-wise waste generation, collection, segregation, processing, transportation and landfill arrangements, besides measures to prevent future dumping in drains and water bodies.

The Jal Shakti Department and the Chief Medical Officer have been asked to assess the impact of the dumping on water flow, drinking water sources, flood vulnerability and public health, and submit reports within 72 hours.

The Municipal Council has also been instructed to prepare a geo-tagged inventory of all garbage-vulnerable locations, open dumping sites and water-body ingress points within three days, and to put in place preventive measures such as barriers, CCTV surveillance, warning boards and regular monitoring.

To strengthen compliance, all Municipal Councils and Committees in the district will now submit weekly Solid Waste Management compliance reports to the District Level Special Cell, while Executive Officer Municipal Council Rajouri has been made personally responsible for ensuring that no municipal waste is dumped at any unauthorised location.

The Deputy Commissioner has reiterated that any violation of these directions shall invite strict action under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, environmental laws and other applicable provisions, including disciplinary proceedings, environmental compensation, recovery of remediation costs, withholding of payments, blacklisting and prosecution, wherever applicable. The order has come into force with immediate effect.

NO: PR/DDI/J/1754//