Two years on, Kasol garbage treatment plant gets dept nod

The proposed garbage treatment plant in Kasol, located in the Parbati Valley, is finally set to materialise after nearly two years of planning and approvals. The Rural Development Department recently secured the necessary permissions for the project, which involves setting up a treatment plant on two bighas of land near Kasol, identified for garbage disposal. The proposal was submitted to the directorate for approval in February 2023, and approval was granted last month.

Jaiwanti Thakur, Project Officer of the District Rural Development Authority, confirmed the approval and shared that the site was inspected by Kullu Deputy Commissioner Torul S Raveesh and representatives from various departments on Thursday. They discussed the plant’s requirements and outlined the next steps. The treatment plant is expected to cost Rs 1 crore, with the target date for operationalisation set for March.

Initially, a shredder and composter will be installed at the site, with plans to upgrade the technology later for more scientific waste treatment. The plant will address the garbage disposal challenges in the Manikaran area and contribute to the conservation of the Parbati. More than 10 panchayats in the valley will benefit from the project, and it is expected to improve the cleanliness of the area, enhancing the experience for tourists.

Currently, the district has only one official garbage dumping site in Rangri, Manali, which stopped accepting waste from other areas in mid-July. Kullu, Bhuntar, Parbati, Sainj and Banjar valleys have been managing waste through temporary arrangements, often leading to pollution of rivers and tributaries.

The Kullu and Bhuntar Municipal Councils have been seeking sites for garbage treatment plants for over seven years, following the National Green Tribunal’s directive to stop dumping waste at Pirdi near Kullu. In July, the Kullu MC started a composter and shredder plant at the Material Recovery Facility in the Sarwari area, but it has faced strong opposition from locals.

In Kullu’s villages, residents manage waste traditionally, feeding kitchen waste to livestock and using rag pickers for other materials. There are plans for a plastic waste management unit in every block, but local opposition and bureaucratic hurdles have slowed progress in addressing the waste problem.