Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) is a major challenge in urban areas throughout the world. Most of the cities and health resorts in the world are experiencing unplanned urban sprawl and heavy pressure of population.
The net result is an enormous generation of waste. The quantity of generated waste mainly depends on population, economic growth and the efficiency of the reuse and recycling system.
Rapid population and expanding urbanization have caused a drastic increase of the municipal solid waste generation and the variety of the waste composition. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), generally used to describe most of the non-hazardous solid waste from a city, town or village requires routine collection and transport to a processing or disposal site. It may include domestic waste, commercial waste, Industrial waste, debris or construction waste, dead animals etc. Municipalities, generally responsible for management of waste in the cities, have the challenge to afford an efficient and effective system for the inhabitants.
Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, sits among a vast network of lakes and wetlands. Unfortunately, despite its water wealth the growing population and the mismanagement of waste has resulted in grave environmental challenges, underlining the need for an urgent and comprehensive waste management strategy for this beautiful city. Srinagar city is a commercial hub of Kashmir valley and occupies highest position as far as basic and other facilities are concerned.
The basic requirements for sustaining living standard are easily available in Srinagar city which is responsible for enhancing the waste generation in this particular district. Human activities create waste, and the ways this is handled, stored, collected, and disposed off can pose risk to the environment and to the public health. Srinagar is the first metropolis and fastest growing city of western Himalayas and here the management of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a big challenge for local authorities.
More than 13,000 metric tons of solid waste that is produced in Srinagar every month may become one of the main challenges for the successful implementation of the Smart City project in the summer capital. For the past many years, the government has failed to address the menace of solid waste as nearly 450 metric tons of solid waste is produced in the city every day and is dumped in the heart of Srinagar, at Achan, the only dumping site in the city. Waste is not just dumped at the land filling site, but one can find it everywhere. The waste is directly dumped around a residential area, a government-owned land filling site at Achan without being treated. With a population of 12.36 lakh, spread over an area of 294 sq km on both sides of the Jhelum River, not even in a single residential area or commercial establishment in Srinagar has the facility of segregation of waste; and much of the waste is dumped into water bodies like the Dal Lake.
