Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 | Last Update : 08:33 PM IST
‘States must form waste panels’
NGT seeks compliance of Solid Waste Management Rules 2016.
Mumbai: In light of strengthening solid waste management, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has this week passed an order to ensure compliance of Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 by state governments including Maharashtra.
The directions stated that in every state a committee of former high court judges must be appointed to look into the implementation of the tribunal’s orders.
The tribunal bench, headed by chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, was hearing a petition seeking compliance of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The tribunal further directed that the chief secretaries of all states and union territories should appear before the tribunal on March 1 and March 2 with status reports of the measures taken and immediate plans for the long term.
“It is made clear that chief secretaries may not delegate the above function and the requirement of appearance before this tribunal to anyone else,” the order noted.
The order also said that all states should update the information on the state pollution control boards’ web portals regarding updates about compliance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and Bio-Medical Waste management Rules, 2016.
The order stated, “While India generates over 1,50,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste per day, with Mumbaibeing the world's fifth most waste-generating city, only 83 per cent of waste is collected and less than 30 per cent is treated.”
“The ministry of environment and forests may coordinate with concerned organisations/ association of industries to indicate a programme to reduce the quantum of waste by appropriate strategies including use of less packaging material keeping in mind such initiatives elsewhere,” the tribunal order read.
It also directed the chief secretaries of all the states to ensure that all drains are tapped with wire nets etc and no municipal solid and plastic waste is allowed to reach rivers, lakes and other water bodies.
The matter is listed for further consideration on July 10.
