When Ladakh’s administration banned single-use plastics this month and empowered officials to impose spot fines on littering, it sent a clear message: environmental protection begins with political will. 

Random inspections at Leh Airport and entry points, coupled with strict enforcement, signalled a government prepared to act before waste overwhelms one of India’s most ecologically sensitive regions.

Jammu and Kashmir should pay close attention.

Plastic waste, overflowing garbage dumps, clogged waterways and roadside litter have become common sights in towns and villages throughout the Union Territory. 

Public concern rises after every dumping controversy, landfill dispute and photograph of trash scattered along streams, roads and tourist destinations. Administrative responses, however, remain fragmented and episodic. 

What Jammu and Kashmir needs is a sustained, government-led “Waste Free Jammu & Kashmir” campaign that commands the same political attention recently devoted to the anti-drug drive.

The precedent already exists.

The 100-day Drug-Free Jammu and Kashmir campaign generated visibility, public participation and administrative focus. Senior officials travelled extensively, local administrations mobilized resources and citizens understood that the government viewed the issue as a priority. 

Waste management demands a similar approach because the environmental, economic and public health consequences touch every household.

A successful campaign must begin with a simple fact that often gets lost in policy discussions: most of the waste generated in Jammu and Kashmir is organic. 

Roughly 80 percent of municipal solid waste consists of kitchen scraps, food waste and other biodegradable material. Such waste becomes a problem when it gets mixed with plastic wrappers,........

© Kashmir Observer