Major waste generators in Delhi slapped hefty fines by NGT

Major waste generators in the national capital faced today the wrath of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) which imposed major fines on hotels for not complying with the solid waste management rules.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar imposed penalty on these defaulting bodies for failure to properly manage waste and treat sewage.
The green panel imposed a penalty of Rs 3 lakh each on Hotel Leela Venture Ltd, Fraser Suites, Royal Plaza and Mahagun Hotels Pvt Ltd, Rs 2 lakh each on Chhatarpur-based Radiance Motel and Golden Petal Hotel and Banquet and Rs 2.50 lakh on

Park Inn.
It directed them to submit 25 per cent of the fine amount with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and rest of the amount with the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).
The NGT also asked the hotels to install sewage treatment plants (STPs) and anti-pollution devices within four weeks and ensure that the STPs function properly on a regular basis.

With regard to housing socities, the bench asked the authorities to inform Ekta Society about its notice and warned that in case it failed to appear, its power and water supply would be disconnected.
In the earlier hearing, the tribunal had imposed a penalty of Rs 7 lakh each on Taj Palace, Taj Vivanta hotels and Zorba Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Rs 5 lakh each on Crown Plaza in Mayur Vihar, the Lalit and Hotel Metropolitan, Rs 3 lakh each on Mayur Vihar-based Holiday Inn and Rs 2.50 lakh on G K Motel Pvt Ltd.

It had also issued notice to major waste generators in the city including 5-star hotels, malls, hospitals, educational institutions with hostels and housing societies which had not complied with Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The NGT order had come after it perused an interim report submitted by a committee set up by it recommending action against defaulting bodies for improper management and treatment of sewage and lack of mechanism to recycle waste.
The tribunal had constituted the committee comprising representatives of the ministries of Environment and Urban Development, the Director General of Health Services, the Medical Council of India, the Delhi Development Authority, the municipal corporations, the Delhi government, the CPCB, the railways and the DPCC.

The committee also had four independent experts.
It had directed the committee to inspect all five-star hotels, hospitals which have more than 200 beds, cooperative group housing societies with over 300 flats, markets, shopping malls with a built up area of over 50,000 square metres and colleges having hostel accommodating more than 500 students in Delhi.
The green panel had asked the Delhi government to provide a list of all mass generators of waste, while noting that the problem of waste generation was being faced by the entire country and urgent steps were needed to be taken without "demur and default".