Srinagar, Sep 25: The Solid Waste Management Plant at Sarbal in Sonamarg has come under scrutiny following allegations that garbage collected from the tourist destination is being dumped in large pits instead of being processed through the machinery installed at the facility.

The plant was established by the Sonamarg Development Authority to facilitate scientific segregation, treatment and disposal of waste generated by hotels, markets and government establishments in the area.

Sources said the SDA charges major hotels a sanitation fee of Rs 160 per room each month for waste collection. The authority also invites separate tenders for collecting garbage from Sonamarg, with funds reportedly released to the Roads and Buildings Department for the process.

The waste collected from the area is transported to the Sarbal plant, where it is meant to undergo segregation and treatment using the equipment available at the facility.

Sources said the SDA has also provided funds to the Mechanical Development Department for running the plant. Around Rs 65 lakh was reportedly allocated for a year to outsource its operation.

However, sources familiar with the matter alleged that the waste is currently being disposed of in large pits dug within the plant premises rather than being processed through the installed machinery.

The allegations have raised questions about the use of funds allocated for the facility's operation and the potential environmental consequences of dumping untreated waste in the ecologically sensitive Sonamarg region.

The facility had also come under environmental scrutiny earlier. During an inspection in May 2025, the Pollution Control Committee found the plant operational but observed that it was not functioning regularly and required consistent monitoring. The inspection noted the presence of an electro-magnetic disintegrator, auto-composter and segregator at the site.

Earlier proceedings before the National Green Tribunal had also highlighted concerns over solid waste management in Sonamarg, including unsegregated and untreated waste around the Sarbal facility. The plant is situated near the Sindh Nallah.

Tender records further indicate that the Public Works Department initiated a fresh process in August 2026 for the operation and maintenance of the Sarbal Solid Waste Management Plant.

The reported situation has prompted calls for the concerned authorities to ensure that waste collected from Sonamarg is properly segregated, treated and disposed of in accordance with environmental and solid waste management norms.