Mounting untreated solid waste in Delhi would lead to a public health emergency: SC raps MCD
The court noted that the situation in Gurugram, Faridabad, and Greater Noida “is equally worse”.
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The court further said genuine issues affecting the Capital city are caught in a crossfire between the Centre and the Delhi government. (File Photo)Expressing concern that the mounting untreated solid waste in the Capital would lead to a public health emergency, the Supreme Court Friday told the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) that it will ensure implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, even at the risk of being called “unfair”.
A bench of Justices A S Oka and Augustine George Masih, which perused an affidavit filed by the MCD, said, “We don’t see light at the end of the tunnel as going by the affidavit…there are no possibilities of creating facilities in Delhi (for processing all the generated solid waste) even till 2027.”
The court further said genuine issues affecting the Capital city are caught in a crossfire between the Centre and the Delhi government.
The court asked the Secretary of the Union Environment Ministry “to immediately convene a meeting of all state government officials, Commissioner of MCD and its officials to work out an immediate solution.”
It also directed the Centre “to submit a report (about) immediate measures which will be taken for ensuring that non-compliance with 2016 rules does not create a serious emergency in the city.”
During the course of the hearing, the bench expressed displeasure over certain remarks by MCD’s counsel, Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy, who objected to some of the submissions by the amicus curiae, Senior Advocate Aparajitha Singh.
Taking exception, Justice Oka said, “If somebody wants to say that we are being unfair, we will happily accept that allegation because I am used to such allegations for the last 21 years. Even at the risk of that allegation, I will ensure that these laws are implemented”.
Singh said she was only pointing out that “this is a public health emergency”. The bench said it agreed with Singh “that in Delhi, the situation may lead to an emergency, as generation of solid waste per day is above 11,000 metric tonnes (MT) and the capacity of the processing plants made available by MCD is only 8,073 MT. Therefore, more than 3000 (metric) tonnes per day of untreated solid waste is being generated.”
Guruswamy said the MCD had requested the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, by a letter dated July 10, to give it the power to take on contracts and tenders beyond Rs 5 crore. “Because the standing committee is not being convened, there is an impasse in the state,” she said.
The bench then directed the GNCTD “to immediately consider the proposal…and take appropriate decision within three weeks”.
Justice Oka added, “In a lighter vein, not only people, but genuine issues affecting the capital city are in the crossfire between the two (Centre and Delhi government).”
The court noted that the situation in Gurugram, Faridabad, and Greater Noida “is equally worse”.
It directed the secretary of the Ministry of Environment “to immediately convene a meeting of municipal commissioners of corporations of Gurugram, Faridabad, and officers of Greater Noida Development Authority, along with the secretaries of the environment department of the state governments” to come up with immediate solutions for the crisis.
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