PIL alleges illegal burning of biomedical waste in Delhi

New Delhi, February 18

The Supreme Court has issued notices to Delhi Government and municipal authorities in the national capital on a petition highlighting rampant burning of illegal and unauthorised biomedical waste posing serious health risk to those residing in adjacent areas, besides adversely affecting the air quality.

The notices were issued by a Bench of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Deepak Gupta on February 14 on an intervention application filed by a law student drawing the court's attention to violation its November 4, 2019 order banning open burning of garbage and solid-wastes in Delhi.

The Bench asked them to respond to the allegations by February 26 and posted the matter for hearing on February 28.

The top court had also directed the Government of NCT of Delhi and the municipal corporations "to chalk out an immediate plan and to ensure that waste and garbage to be removed to safe forthwith and also to ensure that no open dumping takes place".

The law student claimed to have witnessed burning of biomedical waste in Delhi on November 23, 2019, in violation of the top court's order, including at places such as in Rangpuri Pahadi which was close to the international airport. — TNS