Inaction renders garbage disposal by civic bodies ‘illegal'

Aluva municipality is among seven local bodies in Ernakulam district likely to face legal action for not renewing the authorisation under the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2000 for segregation, transportation and suitable disposal of municipal waste.

SHILLONG: The State Government has decided to seek additional fund from the Centre to integrate waste to energy project in the sanitary landfill site at Marten, Mawiong.

“If the proposal of the State Government is approved, the State, which is going through a severe power crisis, can benefit a lot since the integration project would help in generating at least 4 megawatts of power,” Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh told The Shillong Times here on Friday.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to amend within six months the Solid Bio-Waste Management Plant Rules 2000 to deal with the problem of such plants, initially set up on the outskirts of urban areas.

The plants would find themselves in the middle of thickly populated settlements after a few years due to rapid growth of cities and towns.

Even 11 years after the Supreme Court laid down guidelines for management of municipal solid waste (MSW Rules 2000), the GHMC is yet to start scientific disposal of garbage. GHMC is now making extra efforts to adopt eco-friendly measures of waste disposal as the state capital (Greater Hyderabad) will host the prestigious International Biodiversity Conference of Parties (COP-11) with 12,000 delegates from 30 countries next year. COP-11 will highlight contributions of municipal bodies of different cities in the world in taking up biodiversity friendly measures and projects.

In a major environment-friendly move, the Delhi government will impose a blanket ban on usage and manufacturing of plastic bags in the next two months and those violating it could face imprisonment up to five years and fine of up to Rs 1 lakh or both.

The ban is being imposed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 under which storage as well as sale of plastic bags will be considered an offence.
Notification

Environment Minister J K Palemar has cautioned city municipal council (CMC) chief officials of stringent action for violating or failing to implement the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2000 and other regulations.

Puducherry Pollution Control Committee not spared

Poor handling of the solid waste management by the local bodies, deficiency on the part of Puducherry Pollution Control Committee (PPCC) in providing environmental safeguards, non-collection of entertainment tax from cable operators and unfruitful expenditure incurred by the departments of Health, Local Administration and Public Works Departments were some of the major findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.