PUNE: The National Green Tribunal (
NGT) bench in Pune took strong exception to the fact that only 193 out of total 257 urban local bodies in the state complied with its November 7, 2017, directive of establishing facilities for temporary storage/deposit and collection of non-biodegradable waste, including plastic.
The urban bodies include municipal corporations and councils.
In a couple of recent orders, an NGT bench comprising Justice S P Wangdi and expert member Nagin Nanda had come down heavily on the government for the “lackadaisical manner” in which the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2016, were being implemented. The bench was hearing an application by Sangli-based activist Ravindra B Shinde, raising concerns over the rules’ lax implementation.
The tribunal has now directed the State Level Advisory Committee — established under the rules — to give “a complete list of non-compliant urban local bodies in the spirit of the order passed earlier”. It has also directed the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and the secretary to the urban development department to file affidavits explaining the steps taken by them to implement each component of the rules.
“The rules are quite comprehensive covering all aspects,” the bench said. “Constitution of the State Level Monitoring Committee is only one of the several steps required to be taken,” it added.
The bench observed, “Specific responsibilities have been charged upon different authorities i.e. the state pollution control board, pollution control committee and secretary in charge of urban development of the state or union territory and
gram panchayat, among others. Responsibility also has been fixed on the producers, importers and brand owners.”
“In order to assess the extent of progress made in implementation of these rules, we deem it essential for the state pollution control board and the secretary urban development department to file affidavits explaining steps taken. This direction has been felt necessary having regard to the fact that there are several cases pertaining to the state of Maharashtra in which the implementation of the rules does not appear to be satisfactory,” the bench said and posted the matter for next hearing on August 10.
Shinde’s lawyer Asim Sarode said, “The bench has also sought information regarding plastic waste management and action taken by Lonar municipal council against tourists polluting the environment near Lonar lake, a notified National Geo-heritage Monument saline soda lake, by using plastic.”
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