Deputy Commissioner Kathua Rajesh Sharma chaired a meeting at the DC Office Complex on October 14 to review the implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules in the district. The meeting assessed the waste management practices currently being followed and considered measures to improve compliance with the prescribed framework.

The review covered the collection, segregation, transportation and scientific disposal of solid waste. Sharma directed the concerned departments to ensure strict adherence to the applicable rules and called for the identification and proper management of bulk waste generators across the district.

He also instructed the concerned authorities to issue notices to industrial units to ensure compliance with solid waste management norms. The direction was aimed at strengthening accountability among establishments whose operations generate significant quantities of waste and ensuring that the prescribed procedures are followed.

The Deputy Commissioner called for stronger monitoring mechanisms and greater emphasis on segregation at source. He also sought intensified public awareness campaigns to discourage indiscriminate dumping and promote responsible waste disposal practices among residents and institutions.

Sharma stressed the need for coordinated action among all stakeholders to improve sanitation standards and support environmentally sustainable waste management. The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Kathua Sachin Jamwal, Chief Planning Officer Kathua Ranjeet Thakur, Assistant Commissioner Panchayat Ajeet Kumar, Accounts Officer Akhil Kumar, Chief Executive Officer Municipal Council Kathua Amit Sharma and representatives of the concerned departments.