Samba, December 6,2025: In a significant step toward strengthening plastic waste management in rural Jammu & Kashmir, Director General, Rural Sanitation Anoo Malhotra on Friday inaugurated a state-of-the-art Plastic Recycling Facility in Samba. The facility is expected to play a crucial role in reducing rural plastic pollution and promoting sustainable waste handling practices across the Union Territory.
The initiative is part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Directorate of Rural Sanitation and IPCA, aimed at creating a structured system for plastic collection, segregation, and recycling in rural areas. Under this collaboration, rural households will be paid ₹10 per kilogram for clean, dry plastic waste—an incentive designed to encourage community participation and reduce indiscriminate dumping of plastic.
Officials highlighted that the facility will enhance scientific waste processing capacity and support the government’s mission of achieving cleaner, environmentally sustainable villages under Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin . The DG emphasised that such initiatives not only help manage plastic at the source but also generate livelihood opportunities for local communities involved in waste collection and processing.
The Directorate of Rural Sanitation plans to replicate the model across other districts of J&K to create a comprehensive rural plastic waste management network, strengthening the UT’s commitment to circular economy principles and responsible waste disposal.
