NGT seeks penal action over garbage in south Delhi

Overflowing and stinking garbage accumulated outside Max hospital in Saket here today drew the attention of the National Green Tribunal which asked the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to initiate penal action against all commercial establishments responsible for generation of waste.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, which took suo motu cognisance of the issue, directed SDMC to issue challan of Rs 50,000 per day for each hospital, mall, cineplexes in Saket area for causing pollution and degrading environment under polluter pays principle.
It directed the legal officer of the corporation that in case these commercial establishments refuse to pay penalty in pursuance to the issued challans, SDMC may file a proper application in this regard.

SDMC's legal officer Laveena Passi told the tribunal that as per directions of the green bench the garbage outside Max hospital has been removed and they have also been instructed not to do so in future but the hospital and other commercial establishments said that they were not responsible for the waste and heap of garbage lying on the road side.
The bench then observed, "If they don't throw garbage, it comes from the sky? They cannot just keep on earning money. They should spend it as well.
"Why don't you impose a fine of Rs 50,000 on each of them? As part of their corporate social responsibility, they are supposed to clean the garbage. You prepare an application, we will pass appropriate directions," the bench said.

During the hearing, advocate Balendu Shekhar, appearing for SDMC, told the bench that there was Max hospital, Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute, Saket City Hospital, malls including Select City walk, MGF Metropolitan mall etc, shops, cineplexes like PVR etc which are all equally responsible for the generation of waste.