The Supreme Court has criticised the lacklustre attitude shown by the Delhi authorities in cleaning up landfills in the Capital, saying the city could have been a model for the rest of the country if not for the lack of interest on the part of the authorities.
A Bench led by Justice Madan B.Lokur pointed out that there is a substantial body of literature and information available with regard to solid waste management. Again, there is strong support at the residents’ level for segregation, composting and clearing up the garbage rotting at Bhalswa, Ghazipur and Okhla landfills, yet there is no action.
Formation of panel
The court recorded that a meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Delhi Chief Secretary on October 31, 2016 with the Municipal Commissioners, MLAs of Bhalswa, Okhla and Ghazipur and other stakeholders in Delhi.
“In the minutes of the meeting, it is further recorded that a Committee of Persons with the Health Minister of Delhi, Mr. Satinder Jain as Chairman is required to make a policy regarding waste disposal. It was decided that Ms. Almitra Patel and Ms. Bharati Chaturvedi will be inducted in that Committee. We are told that Ms. Almitra Patel and Ms. Bharati Chaturvedi have not yet been inducted in that Committee. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of Government of NCT of Delhi is unable to tell us why no steps have been taken in this regard,” the apex court recorded in its order dated December 12.
The court also noted the support for the clean-up offered by the CEO of United Residents Joint Action, the apex body of RWAs in Delhi, who said that segregation should be done at the colony level and the colony should be made responsible for segregation and composting.
The CEO had also volunteered to assist the Committee chaired by the Health Minister, Mr. Satinder Jain. It was for Mr. Jain to take a decision in this regard.
“We are mentioning these facts only to indicate that there is strong support for cleaning up the land fills in Delhi and removing the garbage that is lying at Bhalsawa, Ghazipur and Okhla. However, there does not seem to be any strong desire in the authorities in Delhi to take steps in this regard. The matter has to be taken up very seriously by all concerned not only in Delhi, but also in other parts of India,” the court observed.
The court notes that the issue of solid waste management is not confined only to Delhi, but is a problem in almost every large city in the country.
‘Funds available’
“It is suggested that Delhi could be a model which could be replicated in other parts of the country, but if the authorities in Delhi themselves take no interest, we are afraid that the model will be a complete failure,” the court said, asking Mr. Jain to urgently call a meeting of the body which he is chairing with regard to solid waste management.
The court pointed out that the Centre had launched the Swachh Bharat Mission programme with a a total outlay of ₹36,829 crore of which ₹7,424 crore has been made available to various States.
“It is quite clear that there is absolutely no shortage of funds, but there is only absence of any initiative or lack of any willingness to take any positive steps for solid waste management,” the court observed.
