Guv briefed on sanitation arrangements for annual amaranth yatra in Srinagar

Srinagar: Governor, Jammu & Kashmir 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 Monday 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.
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.
CEO emphasized on all the agencies responsible for sanitation of Yatra track to closely monitor the day to day sanitation work at the Yatra camps and enroute and to maintain close co-ordination to ensure cleanliness and hygiene in the Yatra area and the Base Camps. Narula directed General Manager (Works), SASB; General Manager (Sanitation), SASB; CEOs of PDA and SDA to launch Sanitation cum Camp Cleaning drives at all the Yatra Camps and along the Track during Yatra period.
It was further informed that on the occasion of its 25th Golden anniversary, Shiv Sevak Delhi (Langar Organisation) has decided to promote clean Yatra by installing more than 100 Dustbins from Chandanwari to Holy Cave and involve more than 100 Sewadars who will self pick the wastes and garbage from the track.
The Meeting was attended by Baseer Ahmed Khan, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Rigzin Samphel, Secretary Tourism; B.M Sharma, Member Secretary J&K State Pollution Control Board; Khalid Jahangir, Deputy Commissioner Anantnag; Hashmat Ali, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal; Anup Kumar Soni, Additional Chief Executive Officer SASB; Dr. Nasir Ahmed, CEO Pahalgam Development Authority; Showkat Ahmad , CEO Sonamarg Development Authority; Jalid Riyaz Bandey General Manager (Sanitation), SASB & Ramesh Pandita, General Manager (Works),SASB.