Waste management: Delhi facing "emergency situation", says SC

The Supreme Court today said that Delhi was facing an "emergency situation" due to mountains of garbage as it expressed dissatisfaction over the response of authorities on waste management.

"Will there be any person alive in Delhi in such a situation?" an irked apex court said and sought details of how plans on management of solid waste could be implemented, especially on segregation of household waste.

The bench comprising justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta also sought details from authorities on pilot project for segregation of household waste launched in some areas like Defence Colony, Green Park and Maharani Bagh here and also about the problems being faced by the agencies in its implementation.

The court fumed at Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Pinky Anand's submission on residents of Sonia Vihar objecting to a landfill site, saying the people had every right to question the decision and and even went on to say that the civic body should dump the "waste on the Raj Niwas Marg", where Delhi Lieutenant Governor's official residence is located, instead of treating people like this.

It said that segregation of waste at household level was an important issue and asked the authorities to inform the apex court as to whether an awareness campaign in this regard could be started throughout the city.

"It is an emergency situation and unfortunately your reactions are not indicating any solution," the bench told the ASG.

The bench took exception that area falling under the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) was generating 3,600 tonnes of waste everyday out of which 1,800 tonnes was thrown at the landfill site.

The ASG told the bench that the authorities were working on it and taking steps in this regard and by December 2019, all the waste generated in SDMC area would be sent to waste to energy and processing plants.

"Ganga Ram Hospital has done a study which says that 50 per cent of population of Delhi has a chance of having lung cancer even if they do not smoke. The Niti Aayog says that in 2019, there will be shortage of water in Delhi. Will there be any person alive in Delhi in such a situation? 1,800 tonnes a day is huge. What will happen from now till December 2019," the bench observed.

The ASG said that in East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), the issue of having a landfill site at Sonia Vihar was being opposed by residents of the area.

"Are you suggesting that people cannot raise this issue like what was done in 1975 that if you ask something, you will be put in jail?," the bench asked.

When the ASG said that they were not suggesting anything like that, the bench said, "Then put it (garbage) on the Raj Niwas Marg. Do not treat people like this. In Sonia Vihar, perhaps the underprivileged people live."