The next time you throw your toffee wrapper on the road, think twice. The National Green Tribunal on Tuesday said a fine of Rs 10,000 would be imposed on any person or agency, government or private, found throwing garbage at a public place.
It said all authorities were under “statutory” obligation to ensure that waste was collected, transported and disposed of in accordance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
“Any person, hotel, resident, slaughter house, vegetable market etc that does not comply with the directions or throws waste over any drain or public place shall be liable to pay environmental compensation at the rate of Rs 10,000 per default,” the NGT said. The bench, headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, said segregation of waste and disposal, depending on the type of waste, must be ensured. It was hearing a petition filed by Kudrat Sandhu against violation of waste management norms in the capital.
“All major sources of municipal solid waste generation… should be directed to provide segregated waste and handover the same to the corporation in accordance with rules,” it said.
The green court observed that it was the obligation of all major sources of waste to segregate the garbage before handing it to the centres for waste collection.
The bench said the capital generated about 9,600 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste per day and there was no clear plan with the municipal bodies to deal with such huge quantities.
The bench directed commissioners of the corporations to submit a scheme within a month for providing incentives to people to segregate their waste at source. This could be done “by way of rebate in property tax” while penalties could be imposed on “residents, societies and RWAs who do not provide segregated waste”.
“As per polluter pays principle, each person will be liable to pay for causing pollution. It’s the duty of a citizen to ensure that waste is handled properly… The entire burden cannot be shifted on the state and authorities,” the bench said. NGT reiterated its order prohibiting fires at waste dumps or landfill sites.
“We direct that corporations, other agencies and fire departments should ensure that none of the dumping site is ever seen at fire. It shall be responsibility and the fire department shall, in consultation with the commissioners of corporations, fix responsibility and deploy fire vehicles for each site.”
The order dated December 2 was published last Thursday. The bench suggested a “decentralised approach” to waste management. “Wherever feasible, the waste shall be composted or biomethanated near to the point of its generation and collection… in that case, it may not be necessary to transport the compostable waste to the landfill site or waste processing plant.”
NGT reiterated its order banning the use of disposable plastic glasses “at hotels, restaurants and in public as well as private functions”.
