Ghazipur landfill site: NGT summons commissioners of police, EDMC

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal on Tuesday rapped the East Delhi Municipal Corporation over its report on a recent fire incident at the Ghazipur landfill site, saying it cannot allow non-compliance of its orders to solve the issue.

Irked at the approach of the corporation, a bench headed by acting Chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim summoned the Police Commissioner and the Commissioner of the EDMC to appear before it on April 23 and submit a detailed report.

The green panel said except for stating that tenders have been floated, no statement was "forthcoming" from the EDMC about the actual and effective steps being taken to avert the instances of fire in terms of its earlier directions.

Noting that the EDMC lawyer's submission that he did not have instructions from the municipal body and said,"as the situation is serious, we expected serious approach by the corporation which was lacking." "We cannot allow such non-compliance by indifferent attitude of the authorities concerned and avoid perishing of the life of the people, factual information about the steps taken or being taken is essential. "Hence, we direct the Commissioner, EDMC and the Commissioner of Police, NCT Delhi to be present before the Tribunal giving us the factual action taken report on the action taken in pursuance to our order dated March 22, 2018 apart from the detailed report," the bench said.

The NGT'S direction came after advocate Sanjay Upadhyay, who has been appointed as amicus curiae in the matter, informed the bench that the police and the corporation have not filed the report despite its March 22 direction.