Jammu Kashmir Spends Rs 68.14 Cr on 2,147 Segregation Sheds, Only 1,491 Functional | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has revealed that 2,147 waste segregation sheds have been constructed across the Union Territory over the past three years at a cost of Rs 68.14 crore, but only 1,491 of them are currently functional, pointing to gaps in utilisation of solid waste infrastructure.

The details were provided in response to Un-Starred Assembly Question tabled by MLA Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri.

According to the official data, the highest number of sheds, 1,851 units, were constructed during 2023–24 with an expenditure of Rs 59.30 crore, of which 1,229 are functional. In 2024–25, 156 sheds were built at a cost of Rs 6.52 crore, with 166 reported functional, while in 2025–26, 140 sheds were constructed at a cost of Rs 2.31 crore, of which 96 are operational.

Cumulatively, this leaves over 650 sheds non-functional, even as the government continues to expand waste management infrastructure under rural sanitation programmes.

Explaining the operational framework, the government said that waste collection begins at the level and is transported to segregation sheds, where it is separated into wet and dry categories. Wet waste is processed through compost pits to generate “waste-to-wealth” outputs, while dry waste is further divided into recyclable and non-recyclable material.

“Recyclable plastic waste is sent to Plastic Waste Management Units where it is processed through shredding and baling before being forwarded to authorised recyclers,” the reply stated.

Addressing concerns about littering and public inconvenience around such facilities, the government said that immediate clearance measures are undertaken wherever complaints are reported.

On infrastructure gaps, the government clarified that individual compost pits and soakage pits are not under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) guidelines, and hence no such construction data is maintained.

To tackle the issue of non-functional assets, the government said that repair and renovation of defunct sheds is underway, while exploring public-private partnership (PPP) models to improve operational efficiency.

Additionally, the Finance Department has earmarked 10 per cent of Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) grants for operation and maintenance of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) assets, aimed at restoring functionality to idle infrastructure.

The disclosure highlights both the scale of investment in rural waste management and the operational challenges in ensuring sustained functionality of created assets across Jammu and Kashmir.