Srinagar, May 11: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday inaugurated nine solid waste management facilities and other development projects in the Kashmir Valley, providing much-needed infrastructure support to the region. These programs, carried out in accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarion call under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), aimed at making urban areas garbage-free.
The development of infrastructure projects such as shopping complexes, marriage halls, community halls, drainage networks, development of lanes, development of bus addas, macadamization of roads, construction of slaughterhouses, development of public parks, office buildings/town halls, etc., has significantly empowered the Urban Local Bodies to function as units of local self-government.
“Sixteen such developmental projects, costing Rs. 21.55 Crore, have been inaugurated and dedicated to the public. Furthermore, the implementation of flagship schemes like SBM (U), AMRUT, PMAY-U, PM SVANidhi, etc., has provided the ULBs with an opportunity to widen the dimensions of their developmental activities and beneficiary-oriented programs,” the LG added.
The LG said “The holistic approach in developing urban infrastructure is focused on individuals well-being, new avenues and opportunities for the people for more diversified incomes, improved service delivery, mobility, cleanliness and to achieve the objectives of sustainable urban development.”
“The inauguration of these facilities and developmental projects is a step forward in making the Kashmir Valley a cleaner, greener, and more developed place. These initiatives will not only ensure a better quality of life for the people of the region but also contribute towards the overall growth and development of Jammu and Kashmir,” the LG added
The Lt Governor also highlighted the steps taken to fulfil the aspirations of all 40 ULBs of Kashmir Division.
“We have put people at the centre of cities and the projects both development and solid waste management, are offering unprecedented opportunity to improve the lives of millions of urban residents,” he said.
The newly inaugurated projects are the testimony to our commitment to improve urban environment, he further added.
Speaking on the development journey of J&K over the past few years, the Lt Governor expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the unparalleled growth of the UT.
The Urban Local Bodies in Kashmir have been working relentlessly to build facilities for the scientific disposal of trash, and the J&K Government’s financial backing and regular reviews have helped them to go forward in this direction. The government authorized an action plan for the establishment of solid waste management for 40 ULBs in the Kashmir division in October 2022, totalling Rs. 239.74 crore for total waste of 456 metric tones generated per day, Sinha added.
Today, economic development is gaining new momentum, pace of completion of projects has increased nine times and every section of the society is feeling empowered, said the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor called upon the elected representatives of the ULBs and the common people to work shoulder to shoulder with the administration in the mission to rejuvenate the cities and make them more vibrant, efficient, clean and sustainable.
The nine Solid Waste Management facilities, costing Rs. 12.79 Crore, have been completed in the ULBs of Achabal, Beerwah, Chadoora, Dooru-Verinag, Ganderbal, Qazigund, Shopian, Sumbal, and Tangmarg, Kunzer, processing 40 tonnes of waste per day. Each facility has a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) for dry waste, which includes segregation of any mixed waste, baling, and shredding facilities. Additionally, there are compost pits for processing wet waste.
