Gujarat HC asks 8 municipal corps to install cloth bag vending machines, plastic bottle collecting machines 

On July 18, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice D N Ray was hearing a PIL filed by Advocate Amit Panchal in February 2023, seeking directions to ensure “proper sanitation and disposal of waste on Girnar hilltop.” The PIL had contended that the area had become a “dumping ground” with trash scattered all over.

The court recommended that Municipal Corporations conduct workshops in schools run by civic bodies to create awareness and ensure effective implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission.

In its oral order, uploaded on Monday, the Gujarat High Court said, “Eight Municipal Corporations in the State shall make an endeavour to emulate the initiative taken by the GPCB in installation of cloth bag vending machines and reverse vending machines (for collecting plastic bottles) in all key areas to be identified by them, specifically where there is a large footfall of the general public. The Municipalities which are managing tourist places like Dwarka and Somnath in the State shall also draw an example to set up such machines in the areas of major tourist footfall.”

The Unit Head of the Plastic Waste Cell of the GPCB, in an affidavit before the HC, stated that as part of the “strict implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, to promote eco-friendly practices,” the GPCB had installed Cloth Bag Vending Machines in key areas of Ahmedabad and Surat, and 24 Reverse Vending Machines for collecting plastic bottles across the state to encourage proper disposal and recycling.

The affidavit further stated that, in compliance with the HC’s April 25 order, the GPCB had inspected 91 municipalities, out of which 65 have installed MRFs and 32 have signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with registered plastic waste processors. The GPCB informed the court that of the 65 MRFs, three are still non-operational, 39 are manually operated, 21 are mechanized, and five operate through both manual and mechanical means.

It also informed the court that 88 show-cause notices have been issued to municipalities “either for non-installation of MRF Facility and/or non-signing of MoU with a registered Plastic Waste Processor.”

In its oral order, the court directed the State Monitoring Committee and the Commissioner of Municipalities to hold meetings with Chief Officers of the municipalities for further implementation. The order stated: “…hold a meeting with the Chief Officers, Nagarpalika (Municipality) giving them a timeline to ensure installation of MRF facility and engage plastic waste processing units registered with the GPCB. The Chief Officer of Nagarpalika shall be personally made liable with penal consequences, in case of defiance of the timeline, which shall be duly worked out by the State Monitoring Committee. The joint response of the State Monitoring Committee and the Commissioner of Municipality shall be brought before this Court in a personal affidavit of the Commissioner of Municipalities (Administration) to be filed on the next date fixed.”

The matter will be next heard on September 12.

Editor's Choice

Tamil Nadu BJP ex-chief, old RSS hand, Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan is BJP’s choice for Vice-President

Give affidavit or apologise to nation: CEC on Rahul Gandhi’s ‘vote chori’ allegations

Man assaulted in Uttarakhand for refusing to chant religious slogans, 3 arrested: police