BJP MLA walks out over waste management concerns

BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma walked out of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on March 22, 2025. He was unhappy with the government's response to his question about solid waste management in his constituency. Sharma raised concerns about waste dumping in Kot Bhalwal village. He wanted to know what steps the government would take to move the waste to a different location. Health Minister Sakina Itoo answered his question. She mentioned that a site was being developed for handling waste scientifically through a project managed by NAFED. However, Sharma felt the responses were not satisfactory. He highlighted that the current dumping site posed health risks to the locals, while the government denied any issues. As he left the assembly, Sharma criticized the government for being "non-serious" about the matter. The Integrated Solid Waste Management project was approved by the Administrative Council in February 2021. It is estimated to cost around ₹74.41 crore and aims to improve waste management in Jammu city over the next 25 years.