THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016 DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU daily Excelsior India-Pakistan talks Solid Waste Management Established 1965 Govt stern on new rules Founder Editor S.D. Rohmetra Another case of missed opportunity Dhurjati Mukherjee Amrita Banerjee Secretaries was announced. A sus- dards vis-à-vis terrorism and sepa- leader. Last, the military steps in uman activities are generating increasing quantity of wastes as Parrikar going tough tained contact between the National ratism are revealed when it relates to acknowledging the reality that the these are considered useless. These wastes are normally solid he recent meeting between Security Advisers also gave an its own national sovereignty. civil leadership and the generals can Hand the meaning of the word waste suggests that the material n a sense our country is having see-saw relationship with India and Pakistan's Foreign impression of momentum towards a Highlighted by Beijing's annoyance never be on the same page. is useless and unwanted. Such solid waste may be defined as garbage China. The problem lies in long stretches of undefined bor- TSecretaries in Delhi served historic summit in November 2016 over India issuing a visa and later There is no gainsaying, the oli- from homes, materials resulting from industrial and commercial activ- Ider line with that country including parts in J&K State, as a reality check on the stalemate in when Islamabad would host the revoking it to Chinese dissident garchic warfare in Pakistan has ities, including construction/demolition, bio-medical waste and waste Ladakh sector. The real difficulty arises first from the the bilateral dialogue between both SAARC Summit. Uyghur leader Dolkun Isa to visit turned more complex. Wherein, this substance created by agriculture, mining etc. There are different types countries. Meeting on the sidelines McMahon Line drawn by the British during the days of Raj. In Importantly, Prime Minister Dharamsala with participants repre- uncertainty is bound to have serious of solid waste and the World Health Organization (WHO) indicated of the Heart of Asia Conference, the that 22 types of diseases are directly linked with improper municipal Ladakh region, for example, stretches of the boundary line Modi and Nawaz Sharif, who have senting Taiwan, Tibet and Uyghur repercussions in India-Pakistan's two officials failed to find common bilateral relationship. The more pro- solid waste management practices. have remained undefined. Both sides have their own percep- kept a direct line of conversation regions. ground to kick start the alive, have expressed their vision of True, every country has the right ductive way of moving forward It is heartening to know that the Government has become quite seri- tions of the border in this situation. Such sectors of border may Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue bilateral ties with clarity. It is now to preserve their national interests would have been to schedule struc- ous, specially after the Paris meeting about an all-round approach to not be termed disputed but these are definitely undelineated process or even agree on a for the two Governments-which in and territorial integrity but at the tured meetings at the Foreign check pollution in different ways. The recent rules regarding solid which becomes source of irritation between the two countries. timetable. Pakistan's case also means the mili- same time they should also be sensi- Secretaries' level for the next few waste management, issued by the Ministry of Environment & Forests The second problem is that China is traditionally coveting Both underscored the talks bore tary establishment to work towards tive to neighbourhood countries months, even as the two National on April 5, have rightly been revised after a gap of 16 years and will the territories of her neighbours and has developed the habit no results. Add to this, the separate realizing that vision. concerns. Good relations can be sus- Security Advisers take up issues replace SWM rules 2000. It has proposed 'user charges' to be paid by of intruding into their border territories. This is lust for land, and statements by the two foreign Undoubtedly, terrorism is a real tained and maintained only on related to terrorism in the wake of waste generators to local authorities. Apart from the big generators, offices listing point-wise the issues in that sense, China is an expansionist country. Our country threat for India be it from Pakistan- mutual recognition and respect for the Pathankot attack. street vendors, housing societies, political rallies and wedding organiz- discussed were an equal indicator of has been having troubled border relations with China after she based terrorists in the Valley or the each other. Islamabad has been particularly ers would also be required to take steps for appropriate disposal of the the discord. reluctant for full- fledged discussion emerged in the present avatar of Peoples Republic of China. radicalization of Indian youths by Notably, the lack of unanimity waste they generate. There are some municipal areas in the country Predictably, New Delhi raised the Islamic State; an issue discussed especially the position taken by the on terrorism, but as it hosts the which already charge people for waste management. The new rules as Strangely, during the British Indian rule, and after the its concerns about Pathankot, the by the Intelligence Bureau recently Hurriyat leaders during Indo-Pak SAARC summit later this year, it per Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar "give powers to local McMahon Line was drawn, China had no problem with that 26/11 investigation, and consular in a two day conference. bilateral talks further complicate the might be willing to be more flexible bodies across India to decide the user fees". However, the fee is manda- boundary line. But soon after the British left, China raised the access to alleged spy Kulbhushan India made clear that it refuses situation Their insistence on sup- in framing the talk's agenda. tory for bulk waste generators such as hotels, industry and others, who Jadhav. Islamabad brought up the boundary issue and with that she revived her expansionist pol- on principle to encourage sepa- porting Pakistan on Kashmir being Today, many question the feasi- would also have to focus on waste segregation. supposed Indian interference in icy. ratism or interfere in other countries' the core issue is not only distasteful bility of such stop-start talks but the It is interesting to note that the SWM rules 2016 has expanded the Indian leadership has been alive to China's expansionist Baluchistan, concerns about the internal matters. As this is part of but also has definite political conno- larger fact remains that besides Samjhauta Express blast investiga- ambit of the rule beyond municipal areas to include urban agglomera- designs. Additionally, since Pakistan, our neighbour to the New Delhi's larger case that all ter- tations so far as Kashmir's domestic strengthening talks and the dialogue tions, notified industrial townships, areas under Indian Railways, air- tions and again reiterated Kashmir rorism charges must be treated west, is also hostile to us, she has formed an unholy alliance politics is concerned. process, it is high time to fortify our ports, ports and harbours, defence establishments, special economic as the 'core issue', echoing its tradi- equally and there can be no distinc- Besides, Islamabad reserves the country by strengthening her mili- zones, State and Central organization's places of pilgrimage, religious with China against us. In return for ceding nearly 5,000 square tional position on the dispute. tion between 'bad' and 'good' terror- kilometres of our territory in Aksaichin to China, Pakistan has right to talk about 'Kashmir' only tarily too. and historical importance. Javadekar acknowledged that civic and Neither mentioned the other's ists. when it has set its house in order. Thus, India's recent decision to allowed the Chinese to undertake various infrastructural proj- rural bodies have to take an active role in utilizing the user charges and concerns, with both statements India's moral position on terror- The Pakistani Army Chief's recent install a dozen 'laser walls' along the ects in the region of Gilgit and Baltistan. China has already aimed at their respective domestic ism and its refusal to bend its princi- ensure that waste is not allowed to pollute the environment - whether removal of 13 officers, implicitly Indo-Pak border, given the impossi- roads or waterways. Thus, along with strict enforcement of rules, there built the Karakorum Highway connecting Western Chinese audiences rather than a bilateral out- ples regardless of provocations from suggests that Prime Minister Sharif bility of active human surveillance is need to generate awareness among the people so that cleanliness province of Xingjian with Pakistan and now, according to intel- reach. repeated terror attacks have benefit- need to quit. More so, after names of ed its global outreach on crucial along its boundary, is certainly a could be ensured. India generates around 62 million tonnes of waste ligence and other reports; China is extending it to PoK. She is Undeniably, despite many set- some family members appeared in issues, including security. However, laudable step. Time to take our secu- each year of which only 43 million tonnes is collected. Of the collect- also reported to be constructing hydroelectric power generat- backs, there have been numerous the recent Panama Papers leak. occasions over the past year to the need of the hour is a constructive rity in own hands. ed waste, only 12 million tonnes is treated and 31 million tonnes ing stations in PoK. Chinese military officers have been paying Plainly, it seems the military is encourage hope that dialogue will discussion on this as both nations In sum, even as the Indo- dumped in landfill sites. It is understood that 80 to 90 per cent of ear- occasional visits to these developmental works for security cannot inch towards peace without getting ready to take over the reins Pakistan knot might be difficult to acquire some sort of permanence.