KARGIL, JUNE 19, 2021: In an event at Tourist Facilitation Centre, Director Rural Development Department (RDD) Tahir Hussain Zabdawi flagged off seven garbage management vehicles to six blocks of Kargil district. This event held besides awareness camps in Panchayat Halqa Shilikchay and Goma Minjee. The resource persons in the awareness camps emphasized on segregation of degradable and nondegradable wastes. Theories in their speech were ideal; while to know the reality, implemented on ground zero, Voice of Ladakh team reached the major garbage dumping site near Linkipal slope at Kurbathang.

Pertinent to mention that the above news was related to RDD while the garbage dumping at Linkipal is related to Municipal Committee Kargil.

Around 500 meters before reaching the garbage site, we saw garbage floating in the air. When reached nearer we saw heavy smoke emitting from the garbage site. There were some pits nearly 10 feet high where garbage was set on fire that we recorded on camera. Most of the garbage was not in or at the pit side and was open to fly away by air.

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On seeing us reporting on the issue, some villagers from Choskore who pass through the garbage site to reach their village narrated their concerns. The emittance of smelly smoke cause problem to passengers moving on the way.

Speaking on the issue, Naib Sarpanch from Choskore Mohammad Sadiq said that the polluted smoke cause vomiting, eye irritation, and other health issues to the passengers. He appealed to the administration to move the garbage plant to another place.

Digging more into the actual ideal procedure of garbage treatment, the VoL team reached the office of Executive Officer Municipal Committee (MC) Kargil Shafqat Ali Khan. Shafqat told that setting fire to garbage is contrary to norms. The fire to the garbage at Linkipal is not set by their office employees. But some other agencies like the army also carry their garbage to the same site. But who has set them on fire is not known. The MC dump the garbage in the pits.

Shafqat further told that the actual procedure of garbage treatment is to segregate among degradable, non-degradable, reusable, and recycle items. Different garbage types ought to treat differently. However, at the garbage site at Kurbathang, there were three non-local households that pick garbage. They segregate items that are usable for them. But some non-degradable items like polythene bags, polythene packets of products remain there to ablaze with the degradable garbage. The amalgam of all the garbage produces polluted smoke that causes heavy air pollution in the area. The garbage that flies away by air causes soil pollution.

Shafqat Khan said that the Municipal Committee frequently cleans the vicinity of the garbage site to recollect the garbage that flies away by air. Shafqat further said that the department has a project under SDP for solid waste management under which land is already allotted. For the same purpose consultancy also has been hired. “It is expected that a plant will get ready this year. That plant will have separate scope for segregation, shedding, and classification of polythene. The disposal will take place scientifically. A plant will resolve all the issues of solid waste management”, said Shafaqat.