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No more waste mounds on Siachen
Why in news?
- Since January 2018, nearly 130 tonnes of waste has been brought down from the Siachen Glacier and disposed of, Army.
- India has held the glacier’s dominating heights since it occupied them in 1984 under ‘Operation Meghdoot’.
More in news
- 130 tones include
(1) 4 tonnes of biodegradable garbage,
(2) 32 tonnes of non-biodegradable, non-metallic waste and,
(3) 45 tonnes of metallic scrap.
- Three types of wastesare disposed of differently. Biodegradable waste consists of cartons and packets rolled using baling machines.
- For the non-biodegradable, non-metallic waste, three incinerators have been set up at Siachen base camp, Partapur, and near Bukdang village, at 10,000 feet.
- Challenges
(1) The high altitude as most posts were located between 18,000 and 21,000 feet.
(2) Nothing degrades at sub-zero temperatures, so everything had to be brought down.
- Based on a 2018 concept note on waste management on the glacier, the Army has made bringing down waste a part of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for troops.
- In the past, waste disposal work was fragmented and intermittent.
- Army is looking to cut waste in the rations and utilities delivered on the glacier, and make Siachen garbage-free in 12-15 years.
Source
The Hindu