Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh high court has directed the state govt to take steps to shift solid waste management operations to an alternative site at Sarabai in Kullu district.A division bench comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin Chander Negi passed the directions while hearing a PIL on solid waste management in Kullu.Lakhs of tourists visit Kullu and its surrounding areas every year, generating huge amounts of waste.The court considered an affidavit filed by the special secretary, urban development, which stated that the transfer of land from the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) to the urban development department was still pending.A detailed project report (DPR) is also required to be prepared in compliance with the Dec 30, 2025, court order.The bench noted that the site at Sarabai, located in gram panchayat Masgaun and owned and possessed by the HPSEBL, was situated at a safe distance from the Beas river. The site has been approved for establishing a solid waste management plant to cater to the waste management needs of nagar panchayat Bhuntar, municipal council Kullu and gram panchayat Kasol.The court further directed that the distance of the proposed site from the airport be considered while processing the matter. The Kullu deputy commissioner has also been directed to file an affidavit regarding the distance and examine other aspects.The petitioner’s counsel submitted that the existing waste management site at Bhuntar was overloaded and that monsoon conditions posed a risk of waste being carried into the river. Taking note of the matter, the court directed the deputy commissioner to examine the issue and ensure removal of the waste for treatment at an alternative site. The next hearing is on Oct 5.The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is also monitoring the disposal of solid waste in Kullu district. Earlier this year, the NGT-constituted joint committee had raised several questions about solid waste management violations at the material recovery facility near Nehru Park in Sarvari, Kullu.The committee had highlighted that the site at Nehru Park, which is close to the Sarvari river, posed a serious threat to the environment and public health. The NGT will now hear the case on Sept 16.
