Kullu residents oppose shredder plant in Sarwari

Residents of Kullu town are strongly opposing the Municipal Council’s (MC) plan to set up a shredder machine at the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in the densely populated Sarwari area. While the MC aims to reduce waste transportation costs by shredding dry waste at the site, locals are frustrated by the increasing garbage mounds and the lack of effective waste management.

Prem, a local resident, expressed the community’s anger, stating that repeated requests to the MC and administration for better waste management have gone unheard. Instead, the proposed shredder plant would exacerbate the existing nuisance. He warned that the situation could lead to public protests, similar to those seen over the defunct Pirdi and Rangri waste plants, which created mountains of legacy waste. Residents argue that the accumulating garbage poses severe health hazards, emanates foul odors and tarnishes the area’s aesthetics.

Environmental concerns are also being raised. Environmentalist Abhishek Rai criticized the decision to set up a shredder in such a densely populated area, especially near the Sarwari rivulet, citing risks to air quality and microplastic pollution. Rai added that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the High Court would be approached to address this violation of environmental norms.

The waste crisis in Kullu has escalated since the closure of the Manali garbage plant in July. The MC has been accumulating dry and wet waste at the MRF near Nehru Park. While wet waste is processed using a composter, dry waste is transported to the Baga cement plant in Bilaspur-Solan. However, increasing piles of garbage in Sarwari remain a growing concern.

Compounding the issue, the Baga cement plant recently informed the MC that it would not accept dry waste for at least 10 days due to a temporary closure. This has forced the MC to stockpile waste in the MRF site, further aggravating the situation. Kullu generates about eight tonnes of waste daily, and heaps of garbage now line the roadsides in Sarwari.

For the past seven years, the MC has struggled to finalise a location for a permanent garbage treatment plant, facing resistance from residents at multiple proposed sites. As a result, temporary solutions have failed to address the problem.

MC Executive Officer Anubhav Sharma acknowledged the challenges, stating that efforts are being made to send waste to other cement plants while working towards a long-term solution. However, residents remain skeptical, demanding immediate action to resolve the growing crisis and prevent the Sarwari area from becoming another waste dumping ground.