NGT slams states on municipal solid waste, warns of fines

The National Green Tribunal has come down heavily on states for not complying with its orders on municipal solid waste management and gave them three weeks to submit status reports on the issue while warning them of slapping hefty fines.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed the secretaries of Environment and Urban Development departments of each state to file affidavits on collection, storage and disposal of municipal solid waste in their states.
The NGT warned of imposing a cost of Rs 50,000 each on the defaulting states, UT boards and concerned secretaries, which would be recovered personally from the concerned officer in case of any violation of the order.

"All the states should positively file their status report with regard to the collection, storage and disposal of Municipal Solid Waste in the entire state.
"Further they should clarify, if any MSW disposal plant either refuse-derived fuel or Waste to Energy, or any other plants have been provided in the state or they are in the proposal stage in that behalf," the bench said.
The green panel expressed concern that the matter was being "unduly delayed" due to non-filing of documents by the states and asked Haryana to finalise and submit its MSW plan.

The Tribunal was hearing the petition by Almitra Patel and others seeking directions to local bodies in states and the Centre for improving solid waste management methods.

In September last year, the Supreme Court had transferred these cases to the Tribunal.
As per the Municipal Solid Waste Management and Handling Rules 2000, it is the mandatory duty of pollution control bodies of every states and union territories to take steps on waste management and file periodical report to the Central Pollution Control Board.