Sat Mar 22 07:11:06 UTC 2025: ## BJP MLA Walks Out of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Over Waste Management Concerns

**Jammu, March 22, 2025** – Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sham Lal Sharma staged a walkout from the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly today, protesting the government’s response to his concerns regarding the handling of solid waste in his constituency.

Sharma questioned the continued dumping of waste at Kot Bhalwal village, citing health risks to residents. While Health Minister Sakina Itoo informed the Assembly that the site is undergoing development for scientific waste processing by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), she denied the existence of health risks and the need for a Detailed Project Report (DPR).

Sharma expressed dissatisfaction with this response, highlighting the discrepancy between the government’s claims and the reality on the ground. He pointed out that the “smart city project rules emphasize scientific solid waste management,” yet the Kot Bhalwal site remains a cause for concern. He condemned the government’s response as “non-serious.”

The Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) project at Kot Bhalwal, approved by the Administrative Council in February 2021, was intended to address this issue with a projected cost of ₹74.41 crore and a two-year timeline. The project, to be managed by NAFED for 25 years, aims to handle all of Jammu city’s solid waste. Sharma’s walkout underscores ongoing concerns about the implementation and efficacy of this project.

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