Delhi HC summons municipal commissioners for failure to implement pollution rules

Asks why rules related to garbage disposal has not been complied with

Troubled with the dismal state of management and disposal of waste in the national capital, the Delhi High Court on Friday summoned commissioners of the city's three municipal bodies to explain why rules related to garbage disposal had not been complied with.
 

The direction came after amicus curiae, senior advocate Kailash Vasdev, submitted that the rules regarding solid waste management and regulation of landfills were being blatantly disregarded by the municipal authorities.

Rejecting the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) counsel's attempts at defending their own position, the bench of Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed and Jayant Nath reminded the DPCC of their duty to inform the relevant bodies of violations in pollution norms and to take appropriate action in this regard. With this, the court also directed the Member Secretary of the DPCC to be personally present alongside the municipal officials on the next date of hearing, to give details of any steps that have been taken under the Environment Protection Act to rectify the situation.

Friday's orders come on the backdrop of a suo-moto public interest litigation initiated by the court on the startling levels of air pollution in Delhi. Last week, the court had suggested the government issue health advisories for those deciding to participate in the recently concluded Airtel Delhi half marathon.

The bench had also suggested the authorities to only allow CNG (Compressed natural gas) taxis to enter the national capital and to stop all landfill fires, which the court said were posing serious health hazards and greatly adding to levels of PM (Particulate Matter) 2.5 and 10 particulate matter in the atmosphere.

The court has termed the alarming levels of air pollution akin to capital punishment and genocide, which is robbing Delhi residents of around three years of their lives and leading to the decimation of more than 60 million life years in all.