HC directs state to give clearances to solid waste plant within 2 weeks

SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh High Court directed the state government to accord the necessary approval to the installation of solid waste management facility within two weeks as the requisite clearances were delaying the setting up of facility at Rampur, Kohla and Rohru.

The HC also directed the government to start the tender process before December 31, 2018. It also directed the additional chief secretary, rural development, to take necessary steps to secure a ‘no objection certificate’ from the respective gram panchayats and the forest rights committee within a month.

The division bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel after hearing the matter on November 28, 2018 directed for the filing of fresh status report by January 5, 2019.

Ranjan Sharma, additional advocate general, informed the court that after the floating of fresh tenders, the construction work of a solid waste processing unit started at Baddi.

The tender was floated for Mandi on November 6 and the work would be allotted immediately at the end of the notice period.

In a related matter, which also comprised the proceedings initiated by the court suomotu to deal with the discharge of untreated effluents by the industries, it was informed that the state pollution control board, along with urban development department identified five cluster and 25 sub-clusters (re-carved as eight clusters) for setting up of viable solid waste management facilities throughout the state.

Court initiated these proceedings suomotu in public interest, considering the inaction of the state and the municipal authorities in dealing with the solid waste.

It was admitted by the director of urban development in his affidavit duly noticed by the court on May 5 that in 54 urban local bodies of the state, the total waste generated is 324 tonnes per day approximately and there was no long term plan evolved by the stakeholders to deal with 75 per cent of waste generated each day.