Designate authority to deal with e-waste: HC to govt

The Delhi High Court today asked the Chief Secretary of the city government to hold a meeting with the respective heads of DPCC and municipal corporations to designate an authority which will deal with scrap dealers and the issue of e-waste in the national capital.
Justice Manmohan issued the direction in view of the lack of clarity as to who among Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), civic bodies and the city police will deal with the issue of e-waste.
The court asked them to inform it about the outcome of the meeting before the next date of hearing, January 30.

It was hearing a petition seeking directions to the authorities to formulate suitable regulations to ensure no activity which is hazardous to public health and safety is allowed to be carried out by scrap dealers in East Old Seelampur area.
DPCC, represented by advocate Balendu Shekhar, informed the court that it has set up 19 collection centres for collecting and storing e-waste generated by the national capital.
If any unauthorised person or company purchases any e-waste, then it is totally illegal and liable to be closed down, he said and added that if any consumer sells e-waste, he will be liable for action as per Environment Protection Act and E-waste (management and handling) Rules 2011.

The submission was made pursuant to the court's query to DPCC earlier as to how e-waste and old batteries purchased by scrap dealers are being monitored.