₹6.5 crore spent, but garbage still piles: RTI exposes Ganderbal’s waste management failure

Kashmir Reader: Manzoor Vani: Srinagar: Sunday, February 22, 2026.

Effective governance is not measured by money spent, but by outcomes that improve lives.

Between 2020 and 2025, a total of ₹6,50,18,607 (approximately ₹6.5 crore) has been spent on Solid Waste Management (SWM) in District Ganderbal, as per information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act through an application filed by me. The block-wise expenditure details are as follows:

– Block Lar: ₹1,05,77,187

– Block Sherpathri: ₹29,63,807

– Block Safapora: ₹38,60,040

- Block Kangan: ₹98,05,902

– Block Ganderbal: ₹1,17,01,671

– Block Wakura: ₹1,58,10,000

Despite this significant financial investment, an honest assessment of ground realities suggests that the Solid Waste Management system has not delivered the expected results. Many rural areas continue to face irregular waste collection, lack of segregation, inadequate infrastructure utilisation, and poor sustainability of the system. This challenge is not limited to Ganderbal alone but is visible across much of Kashmir. This situation raises an important question about development priorities and governance effectiveness. Public expenditure must translate into visible and measurable improvements in people’s lives. 

When outcomes remain limited despite large spending, it becomes essential to reassess planning, execution, monitoring, and accountability mechanisms. If a portion of these funds had been directed toward welfare-driven initiatives—such as supporting families living in inadequate housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)—the impact on social security, dignity, and public trust could have been far more meaningful and tangible. Effective governance is not measured by how much money is spent, but by outcomes that genuinely improve people’s lives. The experience of rural waste management in Ganderbal should serve as an opportunity for course correction, stronger community participation, and a shift toward result-oriented and accountable governance.

The writer is a social and RTI activist from District Ganderbal