Raja Syed Rather
Srinagar, Nov 12: The Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) has issued a detailed report in response to directives from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), highlighting the severe impact of unregulated waste management on the habitat of the endangered Himalayan Brown Bears in Sonamarg. The report follows concerns raised in July 2024 regarding the deteriorating conditions of the local wildlife due to unplanned waste disposal in the area.
The investigation, led by a JKPCC-appointed committee, found that Sonamarg’s solid waste management infrastructure is grossly inadequate. The area generates an average of 10 metric tons of waste daily, which doubles to approximately 20 metric tons per day during peak tourist season.
Despite these large volumes of waste, the existing solid waste facility at Sarbal, managed by the Sonamarg Development Authority (SDA), struggles to segregate and contain the waste. This often results in waste being left unprocessed and easily accessible to wildlife, particularly brown bears.
According to the report, nearly 75% of the brown bears’ diet in the area now consists of human-origin waste, including plastics, food scraps, and other non-natural food sources. This dramatic shift in their diet has caused a rise in dangerous human-animal conflicts, as the bears are increasingly drawn to residential and tourist areas in search of food.
In response, the JKPCC report recommends that the waste facility be fenced to prevent wildlife from accessing the waste, which would help mitigate the ongoing conflicts. The committee also suggests the installation of a weighbridge at the facility to more accurately track waste volumes, an upgrade to the facility’s waste segregation systems, and the deployment of bear-proof bins in tourist zones to reduce bear encounters.
The report also calls for the establishment of secure storage areas for composted waste to prevent it from being dumped around the facility.
The JKPCC has called for a balanced approach to tourism and environmental preservation and urged the authorities to adopt stricter waste management protocols in order to protect Sonamarg’s delicate ecosystem and the survival of its unique wildlife.
The NGT has taken the report on record and will consider it during upcoming hearings to determine further action. Following the report’s submission, the Regional Director of the JKPCC, Kashmir has been directed to initiate proceedings and issue notices to the responsible bodies for violations of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 as well as provisions under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1991 An Action-Taken Report (ATR) is expected to be submitted within 15 days.
