NGT directs committee to assess amount of damage caused to environment due to waste dump sites

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed a committee to assess the amount of damage caused to the environment on account of waste dump sites in Delhi within two months.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said there is a huge cost for non-compliance of provisions relating to waste management.

The loss to the environment and public health is taking place not only on account of delay in clearing legacy waste but also for not complying with other provisions of the rules resulting in huge gap in generation and processing of waste.

"It may be necessary to determine such cost for delay in clearing legacy waste at every dump site as well as for delay in complying with other rules and failures to treat sewage and recover the same from the persons responsible for action in the matter.

"Let the committee comprising the Central Pollution Control Board, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute & IIT Delhi carry out similar study to assess the amount of damage to environment on account of dump sites in Delhi within two months," the bench said.

The tribunal said it expects the states will take steps for effective implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, failing which it may have no option except to direct coercive action personally against the entire administration.

The NGT directed the Delhi government to set up an integrated Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for scientific management, processing and disposal of legacy waste dump sites at Ghazipur (East Delhi), Bhalswa (North Delhi ) and Okhla (South Delhi).

The Integrated SPV may coopt other technical and administrative members as deemed necessary.