(a) whether the Government has addressed the issue of garbage disposal especially non-biodegradable waste from the pilgrim centres in the country including ecologically fragile areas like Baltal and Pahalgam during Amarnath Yatra;
(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(c) the measures taken/being taken by the Government to prevent pollution and waste in major pilgrim centres?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)
(a) to (c): The Jammu and Kashmir State Government has enacted the Jammu and Kashmir Non-biodegradable Material (Management, Handling and Disposal) Act, 2007 to prohibit and regulate handling and disposal of non-biodegradable material in the State. Some other States viz. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamilnadu, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Uttarakhand have also restricted the use of non-biodegradable plastic bags in the pilgrimage centres and other historic/ tourist places. This Ministry has notified the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 for management of municipal solid waste and the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 for management of plastic waste in the country. These Rules apply to every municipal authority and inter-alia provide for waste management systems, which are required to be established by the municipal authorities in their respective territorial areas.