Waste in Hindon: NGT notice to 45 housing societies in E Delhi

The National Green Tribunal today issued notices to 45 housing societies in Vasundhara Enclave in East Delhi to showcause why they not be directed to pay compensation on "polluter pays principle" for indiscriminately dumping municipal waste in the area around Hindon canal.
Noting that this "menace" must be stopped, the tribunal directed these societies to submit the complete mechanism followed by them for collection, segregation and disposal of municipal solid waste.
"They will state as to the extent of municipal solid waste that they generate per day and whether such municipal solid waste is segregated at source or not.
"The East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) shall issue notice to resident associations of Mayur Vihar Phase-I, Dallu Pura Village and New Ashok Nagar on the similar lines on which notice is being issued to the societies," a bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar said.

With regard to the tribunal's order on removal of municipal solid waste and debris, advocate Balendu Shekhar, appearing for EDMC, told the bench that the corporation has already removed 18 trucks of waste and have deployed huge man power for the purpose.
"We are making all efforts but the colonies near the Hindon canal have been developed by Delhi Development Authority and have been handed over to us for sanitary purpose only in June 2015. The municipal solid waste is being thrown on the greater part of the area which belongs to Public Works Department (PWD)," Shekhar said.

Taking note of the submissions, the bench directed asked EDMC to submit the expenditure that would be incurred in removing the waste and directed all the authorities, including DDA, PWD and all wings concerned of NCT Delhi to fully cooperate in implementation of these directions.

The green bench further said that the various authorities of NCT Delhi are shifting burden on one another.
"From the above, it is crystal clear that each department shirks its responsibility, not only the one towards public but even the statutory obligation.
"On the one hand, authorities are failing to perform their functions and on the other hand, there is indiscriminate dumping of waste by people living in these areas. Primarily, in either case, it causes environmental degradation and water pollution in those areas," the bench said.