File report on discoms’ e-waste disposal: NGT

The National Green Tribunal has asked an inspection team headed by the Central Pollution Control Board to inform it about the details regarding e-waste collection and transport on the premises of power distribution companies here.

A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar ordered the committee, which was formed to inspect the power distribution companies, to find out whether electronic waste from their premises have been removed.

During the hearing, the joint committee filed the inspection report which said that in most of the premises of discoms, e-waste was not found stored anywhere, except the premises of Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) at Mangolpuri here.

“Hazardous waste was found stored without obtaining authorisation under Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules (HOWM), 2016. However, applications for authorisation under the same have been filed by BSES Yamuna Power Limited and BSES Rajdhani Power Limited for all the locations wherever there is generation and storage of hazardous waste is there,” the report stated.

The order came while the green court was hearing a plea by Delhi resident Balbir Singh, general secretary of DESU Mazdoor Sangh, alleging violation of e-waste rules by the power distribution companies and seeking directions on the disposal of all hazardous material from their premises.

The plea had claimed that a large number of electrical equipments were being dumped in the grid sub-stations and in open places of their offices, which are not meant for disposal of such hazardous e-waste.