Satellite mapping pinpoints waste hotspots in Himachal Pradesh: 70 mapped

Satellite mapping pinpoints waste hotspots in Himachal Pradesh: 70 mapped

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Shimla, Sept 23

AGISAC has successfully pinpointed 70 waste hotspots across the state, drawing upon plastic waste signatures and geographical coordinates. In a bid to ensure a cleaner and more sustainable environment across Himachal Pradesh, the Aryabhatta Geo-Informatics and Space Applications Center (AGISAC), a division of HIMCOST (Himachal Pradesh Council of Science, Technology and Environment), has harnessed the power of satellite imagery, using cutting-edge GIS-based mapping. This technological endeavor aimed to identify and address chronic waste issues, with a particular focus on plastic waste.

The distribution of these identified sites, maximum 17 are in Shimla, 9 in Hamirpur, 9 in Kangra, 7 in Bilaspur, 7 in Mandi, 5 in Chamba, 4 in Kullu, 3 in Sirmaur, 4 in Solan, and 5 in Una.

Barring two tribal districts these hotspots have been identified in all other 10 districts.

Amongst the list urban areas include Near Diara Sector (Bilaspur), Chowari (Chamba), Dalhousie (Chamba), Chamba (Chamba), Hamirpur (Hamirpur), Dehra (Kangra), Baijnath (Kangra), Baijnath Paprola (Kangra), Kangra (Kangra), Jwali (Kangra), Bhunter (Kullu), Kullu (Kullu), Near Bus Stand Kullu, Jubbal (Shimla), Rohru (Shimla), Rampur (Shimla), Solan (Solan), Salogra (Solan), Santokhgarh (Una), Gagret (Una), Daulatpur Chowk (Una),

Amongst rural areas are Sri Naina Deviji (Bilaspur), Near Dholra Bilaspur (Bilaspur), Near Luhnu Ground (Bilaspur), Bilaspur (Bilaspur), Chowari (Chamba), Bhoranj (Hamirpur), Bijhari (Hamirpur), Hamirpur (Hamirpur), Nadun (Hamirpur), Baijnath (Kangra), Dharamshala (Kangra), Nurpur (Kangra), Manali (Kullu), Churag (Mandi), Mandi (Mandi), Chauntra (Mandi), Mehli (Shimla), Bharyal Tutu (Shimla), Malyana (Shimla), Ghora Chowki Anji (Shimla), Chailla (Shimla), Anti (Shimla), Dhainda (Shimla), Dochi (Shimla), Saraswati Nagar (Shimla), Kharapathar (Shimla), Saraswati Nagar 2 (Shimla), Ghanahatti (Shimla), Village Kufri (Dhami) (Shimla), Rampur Ghat Road (Sirmour), Banah Ki Ser (Sirmour), Koti (Sirmour), Baddi (Solan), Gowshala (Kunihar) (Solan), Santokhgarh & Una (Una), Una (Una), Gagret (Una)

Notably, 43 out of the 70 identified sites are situated in rural areas.

This crucial list of sites has been promptly shared with the relevant Deputy Commissioners and Block Development Officers (BDOs), stated a government spokesperson. These officials have been given clear directives to initiate measures for the removal of old waste, especially plastic waste, from these sites before the deadline of October 2, 2023.

In line with the Swachh Bharat Diwas celebrations, special campaigns have been launched in these blocks to underscore the significance of this initiative. Furthermore, after the successful eradication of plastic waste from these sites, BDOs and Gram Panchayats are tasked with ensuring that no garbage is disposed of at these locations in the future. Stringent penalties will be imposed on offenders found dumping garbage, as authorized by the Gram Panchayat, they stated.

Noteworthy that the report indicates that Garbage hotspots are not limited to any specific type of area or district, indicating that waste management challenges are widespread in Himachal Pradesh. This data can be used as a starting point for local authorities and organizations to take targeted actions to address garbage disposal issues in these areas.

While the data provides information on the locations of garbage hotspots, it may be beneficial to have additional details such as the scale of the problem, the types of waste involved, and the specific challenges faced in each location to develop appropriate solutions.

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The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.

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