Srinagar, Aug. 12 -- Srinagar- Mounds of plastic, kitchen waste and hospital refuse have piled up beside an irrigation canal at Dangerpora Padgampora, just 10 to 15 metres from National Highway 44, far inside the 200-metre buffer mandated by rules.The violation has now drawn a financial penalty, exposing the widening gap between waste-management regulations and their enforcement on the ground.

The Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee has issued a show cause notice to the Executive Officer of Municipal Committee Awantipora, proposing an environmental compensation of Rs 33.24 lakh for illegal dumping at the site.

The figure, calculated on the Polluter Pays Principle, highlights four metric tonnes of solid waste generated daily an...