Kullu MC fined Rs 24L for dumping garbage in flooded Sarwari rivulet

The Pollution Control Board (PCB) has imposed a fine of Rs 24 lakh on the Kullu Municipal Council (MC) for dumping garbage into the flooded Sarwari rivulet, a tributary of the Beas, on the night of February 28, saying the MC should pay the fine within a week.

A video showing a JCB dumping garbage from the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) site into the rivulet went viral, triggering public outrage. Initially, the MC denied involvement, but later removed the remaining garbage from the Sarwari’s banks using a JCB and manual labour.

The PCB’s regional office investigated the incident, prepared a report, and escalated the case to the State Pollution Control Board, which held the MC accountable for poor waste management and imposed the fine. It is unclear whether the MC will pay or shift liability to the contractor.

PCB Regional Officer Sunil Sharma confirmed the penalty and emphasised the urgency of the payment. The situation highlights ongoing waste management failures in Kullu. Since July last year, tonnes of waste have accumulated at the MRF site due to the refusal of the Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) facility in Rangri, Manali, to accept garbage from other areas.

Residents have long criticised the MC’s inefficient waste management. Many objected to the conversion of a park into a dumping yard, which has polluted local water bodies. Demands for stricter accountability, including criminal proceedings against offenders and the confiscation of vehicles used for illegal dumping, have intensified.

The issue is not limited to Kullu. In November last year, the PCB fined the Manali MC Rs 1.73 crore for environmental pollution, but the fine remains unpaid. Similarly, in May, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed an environmental compensation of Rs 4.6 crore on Manali MC for leachate discharge from untreated waste at the RDF plant in Rangri. The matter is currently under litigation in the High Court.

Meanwhile, illegal dumping persists. A recent video showed garbage being dumped into the river from a vehicle, but the culprits remain unidentified. In another case, police registered a complaint against two tipper drivers accused of dumping waste from Sabzi Mandi into the Sarwari rivulet via the Lug Valley bypass road on March 22. A challan has been presented in the SDM court, and the PCB is collecting evidence to take further action.

The repeated violations highlight the urgent need for stricter enforcement of environmental regulations to prevent further damage to Kullu’s water bodies.