Take steps to set up waste treatment plants: HC to state

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, January 5

The High Court on Saturday directed the state government to take some concrete steps for setting up solid waste management treatment plants at different places, specifically in rural areas.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel passed the order on a public interest litigation on a suo moto proceedings initiated by the court in public interest, taking cognisance of the inaction of state/municipal authorities in dealing with the municipal solid waste.

During the course of hearing, it was informed to the court that the Director (Urban Development) through his affidavit had admitted that in 54 Urban Local Bodies of the state, the total waste generated was 342 tonnes per day and there was no long-term plan evolved by stakeholders to deal with 75 per cent of the total municipal solid waste generated each day.

The court directed the state authorities to take necessary steps to secure a ‘no objection certificate’ from the respective gram panchayats and Forest Rights Committees to ensure that the progress of the entire projects initiated/in the pipeline for setting up the treatment plants were not hampered in any manner.

In a related matter, which also contained the proceedings initiated by the court suo motu to deal with the discharge of untreated effluents by industrial units, it was informed that the State Pollution Control Board, in association with the Department of Urban Development, had identified five clusters and 25 sub-clusters (re-carved as eight clusters) for setting up a viable solid waste management facility throughout the state.