NGT fumes over lack of coordination in govt, MCDs
In fact, we would desire them to resolve this issue among themselves and work in-tandem, the bench said.
New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) asked the Delhi government and municipal corporations to showcause why punitive action be not initiated against erring officials for not complying with its order on fire incidents at the Ghazipur landfill site.
“Why the tribunal should not take punitive action against all officers of municipal corporations and NCT Delhi for violation and not complying with directions issued by the tribunal from time to time, particularly in relation to the Ghazipur site and in the case of Almitra H. Patel?” it said.
The NGT directed all corporations to file complete and comprehensive action plan within one week to show as to what immediate steps are being taken to restore the site at Ghazipur within the prescribed norms as well as in relation to other sanitary landfill sites in NCT Delhi and also asked them to inform what is the stage of construction of another waste to energy plant that was proposed by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation and when it is possible to commence this waste to energy plant.
The tribunal directed the commissioner of police and commissioner of East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) to file a statement of compliance pertaining to recurring incidents of fire at the Ghazipur landfill site.
The bench headed by acting chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim also said, “Why the tribunal should not award compensation in terms of Section 15 and 16 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 to families of persons who died and/or suffered as a result of this unfortunate incident resulting from sheer negligence and irresponsible performance of their duties by local authorities.”
On September 1 last year, a portion of the 45 metre-high garbage dump in east Delhi’s Ghazipur had collapsed due to heavy rains, killing two people and pushing a car and three two wheelers off the road into a canal. Another blaze had erupted on October 19 and 20, 2017 and was extinguished after hours of fire-fighting operations.
Pointing out that there was no coordination among the Delhi government, fire department, and the municipal corporations, the NGT directed each of these entities to submit to the tribunal as to what is the nature of coordination and cooperation they seek from each other.
“In fact, we would desire them to resolve this issue among themselves and work in-tandem,” the bench said.