‘ No work till new landfill sites identified’
■ Public authorities paid no heed to waste solutions: NGT ◗
New Delhi, Dec 14: The National Green Tribunal ( NGT) on Thursday restrained the Delhi Development Authority ( DDA), DSIIDC and other local authorities from awarding work for commercial projects till they identified alternative landfill sites in the city.
A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar came down heavily on the public authorities for not putting forward any constructive suggestion to resolve the issue of waste management and for creating
hurdles in providing land for waste plants.
The green panel directed the chief secretary of the Delhi government to hold a meeting with DDA, Delhi State Industrial and
NGT said it was unfortunate that at a time when Delhi was grappling with the huge quantum of waste to the tune of 14,000 metric tonnes on daily basis, the authorities were involved in ‘ blame game’
Infrastructure
D e v e l o p m e n t Corporation Ltd ( DSIIDC), municipal corporations and other authorities concerned within two weeks and come out with some
alternative sites for setting up waste- to- energy plants.
The tribunal asked chief secretary and the the lieutenant- governor to expedite the matter of identification of landfill sites for better management of municipal solid waste.
The bench directed all the counsels to seek clear instructions with regard to increasing the capacity of Narela- Bawana plant and the site at NTPC’s Badarpur plant.
The NGT said that it was unfortunate that at a time when the national capital was grappling with the huge quantum of waste to the tune of 14,000 metric tonnes on daily basis, the authorities were involved in “blame game” and showing an irresponsible attitude.
With rapid development and massive urbanisation of the national capital, the waste generation was increasing on daily basis which has resulted in saturation of the existing landfill sites which can handle only up to 7,000 metric tonnes of waste, the tribunal said.
“While the permissible height of the landfill sites is 20 metres, in actuality it has reached height of 65 metres. The sites are being put to fire by methane generation or human intervention. The improper handling of municipal waste dumped at the sites has even resulted in the deaths of two people,” the bench said. It asked the authorities to make concerted efforts to deal with problem of waste and establish new landfill sites in a speedy manner.