Srinagar, Aug. 10 -- Bandipora has done something Jammu and Kashmir's municipalities have avoided for years: it has told households to take responsibility for their own garbage.

Deputy Commissioner Indu Kanwal's order, issued August 7 under the Solid Waste Management Rules 2026, mandates home composting of biodegradable waste for households with adequate space.

Beginning September 1, the Municipal Council will stop door-to-door collection of wet waste from those homes, restricting its pickups to dry and recyclable material.

The change may sound official, but it admits the old system failed and asks residents to help fix it.

The backstory explains why this order has impact beyond Bandipora.

For years, the Municipal Council dumped wast...