First meeting of committee formed by NGT on waste management to be held on Nov 19

The first meeting of a committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal on the issue of compliance of the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 will be held on November 19.

The committee comprises nominee of vice chairman, Niti Aayog, Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Jal Shakti, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Ministry of Environment and Forests, chairman of Central Pollution Control Board and CEO of Government e-Marketplace Portal.

The agenda for the meeting is standardised technologies proposed by the CPCB and their cost break up for operation and maintenance of such technologies, proposed business model for privatisation of sewage and treatment and disposal and remediation of legacy waste dump sites proposed methods and cost break up.

The meeting is scheduled at 3.00 pm in the Niti Aayog building and it is to be held as per the NGT direction.

The NGT had earlier noted that as per CPCB data, there are more than 4,000 legacy waste dump sites which needs immediate remediation under the rules and orders of the NGT having regard to harmful impacts on environment and public health.

"Besides, this will unlock the land occupied by such waste sites which is urgently required for setting up of integrated waste management and processing facilities or for afforestation/green belts/bio-diversity parks/buffer zones in accordance with the environmental laws. If necessary, a part of the land could be monetised if so decided by the concerned state governments," a bench headed by NGT chairperson justice Adarsh Kumar Goel had said.