Editorial | Swachh Bharat in Kashmir

The Valley poses special challenges to such a drive. The terrain is hilly. The winters are cruel. Villages are dispersed and isolated for months. Urban areas are crowded and growing without organized waste systems. Throw in political turmoil and bureaucratic laggings, and you have an idea of why Kashmir requires a lot more effort at cleanliness than the rest of the states.

But there is reason to be optimistic with caution. Official statistics indicate that Jammu and Kashmir has officially declared all districts open defecation free. Toilets have reached far-flung villages where women used to trek for kilometres. The transition is not just about sanitation, it is about dignity. This is one of the strongest achievements of the mission.

Waste management is another area. Srinagar, which has over one million people, generates over 450 metric tonnes of garbage daily. Hitherto, it used to be dumped at Achan, which became a health risk. Swachh Bharat has prompted municipalities to implement segregation at source, doorstep collection, and recycling. The outcomes are still inconsistent. Segregation is not practiced by the majority of households, and dumping in landfills continues. But the system is at least in movement, something which was not present a decade ago.

In the rural areas, the problem is also different. Garbage is commonly burned or dumped in river and land. This contaminates water sources and destroys land. In places such as Baramulla, Kupwara, and Pulwama, small community-based committees have initiated campaigns at door-to-door levels to collect plastic and glass. Some Panchayats are creating compost dumps for biodegradable waste. These grassroots experiments must be replicated at a larger scale. Grassroots ownership is necessary for any mission to survive.

The largest gap still continues to be awareness. Toilets were constructed by many families under the scheme but are still not used on a daily basis. Habits die hard. In some villages, toilets are used as godowns and fields continue to remain the preferred location for open defecation. This indicates that infrastructure cannot itself lead to behavioral modification. The mission needs to spend more on sustained public education rather than one-time construction campaigns.

The young people of Kashmir have come forward with enthusiasm in spreading the message. College-going students in Srinagar, Anantnag, and Sopore organize cleanliness campaigns along the banks of Jhelum, Dal Lake, and areas of tourist interest such as Gulmarg on a regular basis. Such symbolic gestures draw attention and make people realize that the movement is not just about government directives but also a matter of civic responsibility. Dal Lake, for instance, is still clogged with weeds and trash despite cleaning operations that have been going on for years. Without the collective effort of citizens making it a community responsibility, no government project can rescue it.

Tourism places an additional burden. Millions of tourists visit Kashmir annually. They leave behind waste in hotels, shopping areas, and tourist spots. A Swachh Bharat that fails to coordinate with tourism policy will never meet expectations. Clear hotel rules, fines for littering, and correct disposal on tourist places are needed. Cleanliness also affects the Valley’s reputation directly. Travelers today care more about cleanliness. A grubby street or dirty lake can become negative publicity hurting livelihoods.

The government has made some notable initiatives. Mechanized sweepers have been launched on Srinagar’s main roads. Smart bins have been installed in certain locations. Compost plants are being commissioned for biodegradable waste. Bans on plastic have been declared. Enforcement, however, remains poor. Banned plastic bags are still used by shops. Rubbish overflows from bins and is abandoned. Mechanized cleaning only reaches central roads, while inner lanes are ignored. Municipal accountability needs to be stronger.

There also needs to be a connection made between the mission and livelihood generation. There is an income that can be earned from waste. There is income in recycling plastic. Organic waste can be used to create compost. Scrap collection can be legalized. Young entrepreneurs and self-help groups can make cleanliness into opportunity if they are incentivized. This would be a sustainable and profitable mission.

Schools are still an important pillar. Kids are good learners and bring messages back to their households. In a few regions in south Kashmir, schools have implemented “clean Friday” activities where kids clean the classrooms and playground once a week. These easy actions create long-term habits. Scaling up such practices can transform community behavior more rapidly than top-down orders.

The delicate ecology of Kashmir makes Swachh Bharat more imperative. The Valley survives on rivers, lakes, and forests. Not only is pollution an eyesore, it is a killer. Waterborne illnesses, air pollution caused by burning garbage, and soil erosion are silent killers. Cleanliness here isn’t cosmetic, it is survival and health.

The path ahead is clear. The government has to invest in infrastructure other than toilets, such as waste processing units, decentralised composting, and proper sewage pipes. Municipal authorities have to implement plastic bans and littering fines. Civil society has to push awareness and grassroots ownership. Schools and colleges have to keep students active. And all citizens have to internalise the fact that cleanliness is a daily responsibility, not an intermittent campaign.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in the Valley has achieved significant progress, but it is far from complete. Toilets constructed are of value only if utilized. Waste collected is of value only if treated. Awareness generated is of value only if converted into practice. The Valley can no longer afford to turn its back on such crises.

Cleanliness is not a preference. It is a necessity.