Implementation of Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules
Water bodies, environment continue to face pollution threat
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 12: Water bodies and environment continue to face threat of pollution in Jammu and Kashmir as there is absolutely no focus on strict implementation of Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in majority of the districts of the State even after repeated directives from the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
Under Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, duties and responsibilities of each and every authority associated with protection of environment and handling of municipal solid waste have been clearly defined so as to achieve the objective behind these Rules.
As there was no compliance of these Rules, some applications came to be filed before the National Green Tribunal seeking its intervention and directions and the Tribunal during the course of proceedings issued directions for formulation of oversight committee headed by former High Court Judge in each State of the country and establishment of Special Task Force in every district of the States.
In compliance to the NGT Order dated January 16, 2019 passed in Original Application No.606/2018, the Jammu and Kashmir Government constituted an oversight committee headed by retired High Court Judge and vide Government Order No.192-GAD dated February 7, 2019 District Level Special Task Force headed by District Magistrate concerned or his representative not below the rank of Additional District Magistrate was constituted.
Senior Superintendent of Police or his representative not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police, Regional Officer of the State Pollution Control Board in concerned district and one member to be nominated by Chairman of District Legal Services Authority were made members of the Special Task Force with the assignment of creating awareness about the solid waste management by involving educational, religious and social organizations including local Eco-Clubs.
“Despite all this, there is no seriousness towards implementation of Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules in maximum districts of the State”, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “in most of the districts, the Special Task Force has yet not started acting on the duty assigned to it by way of Government Order dated February 7, 2019”.
They disclosed that in majority of the districts no serious steps have been initiated for scientific disposal of municipal solid waste as a result of which water bodies and environment continue to face pollution threat. “Even the Municipal Committees and Councils have yet not started any serious activity to ensure strict implementation of the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, which otherwise is their primary responsibility keeping in view severe threat to the environment”, they further said.
Stating that municipal solid waste is still being handled in most unscientific manner in major parts of the State, an officer of the State Pollution Control Board said, “what to talk of other areas of the State even in Jammu the Municipal Corporation is openly dumping huge quantity of solid waste in the outskirts of city thereby leading to environment hazards”.
“We have not received any communication from any District Magistrate about steps planned for creating awareness about the solid waste management by involving educational, religious and social organisations”, he further said, adding “the Special Task Force has failed to yield any desirable result till date in most of the districts”.
The non-serious approach on the part of District Level Special Task Force is notwithstanding the fact that as per the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, the District Magistrates are required to facilitate identification and allocation of suitable land as per Clause (f) of Rule 11 for setting up solid waste processing and disposal facilities to local authorities in their districts in close coordination with the Secretary-in-charge of State Urban Development Department.
Moreover, the District Magistrates are required to review the performance of local bodies at least quarterly on waste segregation, processing, treatment and disposal and take corrective measures in consultation with the Director of Local Bodies and Secretary-in-charge of the State Urban Development.
“It is a matter of concern that even after the intervention of National Green Tribunal no seriousness is being shown towards strict implementation of Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules”, sources said, adding “if these Rules are not implemented in letter and spirit environment pollution will increase considerably in the coming years”.
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