BJP MLA stages walkout from Jammu & Kashmir Assembly over government’s ‘non-serious’ attitude

BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma stages a walkout from the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly during the Budget session, in Jammu, on March 22, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sham Lal Sharma on Saturday (March 22, 2025) staged a walkout from the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, accusing the government of non-serious attitude after not getting “satisfied reply” to his question related to scientific disposal of solid waste in his constituency.

Mr. Sharma had raised a question about the dumping of solid waste at Kot Bhalwal village in his Jammu North constituency and asked for steps to shift the same to any alternate place.  “Kot Bhalwal is the site of our scientific solid waste management. The site is being developed for scientific processing of waste through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED),” Health Minister Sakina Itoo told the House in the absence of the Minister. 

She replied in negative to two related questions, including the health risk to the local residents and the steps taken for framing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) in respect of waste disposal management and the physical or financial progress achieved in this regard.  Mr. Sharma said he was not satisfied with the government’s response to his question.

“What I have asked and what they have replied…the smart city project rules gives emphasis on scientific solid waste management, but this dumping site is posing a health risk to the locals and the government is saying there is no such issue,” he said and staged a walkout. 

While leaving the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, the BJP MLA said this government is “non-serious” and “this is unfortunate for this House”. Earlier on February 13, 2021, the Administrative Council (AC) headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had approved the establishment of an Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) project by the NAFED at Kot Bhalwal at an estimated project cost of ₹74.41 crore and set a timeline of two years.

The NAFED — an apex organisation under the Union Agriculture Ministry having substantial experience in the management of bio-waste — will manage the entire solid waste of Jammu city through the proposed ISWM project for a period of 25 years.