SRINAGAR/JAMMU: The crisis in Rajouri is spiralling, and the order from the National Green Tribunal appears to be falling on deaf ears.
Despite a hefty ₹5.45 crore environmental compensation slapped on the Municipal Council, ground reports reveal a grim reality—garbage continues to pile up across the town, unchecked and unabated.
A field report by the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee has exposed widespread dumping and burning of waste at multiple locations, including Bela Bus Stand, the left bank of the Manwar Tawi, near District Veterinary Hospital, Nowshera Hospital, Kalera and Udla colonies, and several newly developed residential pockets.
The dumping trail stretches further to areas like Peerkanju, Pathanmor, Thalora, Lalyal, Danna, Kheora, Panjgrain, Nikki Tawi, and along riverbanks and drains feeding into the Manwar Tawi.
Even more alarming is the dumping of waste inside the premises of Government Medical College, Rajouri, and the mixing of biomedical waste with municipal garbage—clear violations of the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules 2016.
Despite the fine, there is no visible change. Waste continues to accumulate in open spaces, rivers, and residential areas, signalling a deeper malaise. It raises a troubling question—have both citizens and authorities stopped fearing penalties?
The continued violations suggest a worrying indifference, not just to environmental laws, but also to the authority of the NGT itself.
The Tribunal had earlier constituted a joint committee to verify facts and recommend action, making it clear that compliance with environmental norms is non-negotiable. Yet, the situation on the ground reflects business as usual.
What next?
With penalties failing to act as a deterrent, stricter enforcement measures now seem inevitable.
It may be ranging from coercive recovery proceedings and administrative accountability and contempt actions.
Unless immediate corrective steps are taken, Rajouri risks slipping deeper into an environmental and public health crisis, with polluted rivers and toxic waste becoming the new normal.
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