SHIMLA: In a matter related to the dumping of plastic waste, the High Court of Himachal Pradesh has directed to ensure that no waste is dumped in any of the rivers, rivulets or streams throughout the State. It said that for this purpose it is not only the Pollution Control Board but all the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) will be personally responsible for giving effect to this order and to also enforce the provisions of Solid Waste Management Rules and Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.
While hearing the matter on Thursday, a division bench comprising of Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Ranjan Sharma also directed the Urban Development Department, HP State Pollution Control Board and Municipal Council Kullu to ensure that the Solid Waste Project at Kullu, is made functional by the next date of hearing, November 16. It further directed the respondents also to comply with earlier directions passed from time to time in this case, specifically the orders dated December 16, 2019, December 26 last year and April 6 this year.
The division bench in the order said that Deven Khanna, counsel for one of the petitioners stated that there are as many as 36 pre-conditions, which were required to be followed while constructing and operating the Solid Waste Management Plant at Kenduwal village of Baddi tehsil in Solan district and none of the aforesaid conditions is being complied with even today and this indeed is a serious matter.
Court therefore, directed that the Environment Engineer of HP State Pollution Control Board along with representative of the Ministry of Environment, (preferably Dr Bhawna Singh, Scientist) to visit the plant/site initially on October 19th and if required to visit the site thereafter also and submit their report on each of the “specific conditions" as set out in the Environment Clearance.
It also directed to place on record the Minutes of the Meeting held on September 26th this year, to review the fulfilment of EPR “Extended Producer Responsibility” of Producers, Importers, Brand Owners, Waste Management Agencies and Plastic Waste Processors, under Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 along with consequential actions taken thereupon.
