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The inhabitants of Sangam Vihar, Delhi lack a designated area for waste disposal, resulting in garbage being strewn across the wards of Sangam Vihar, according to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), August 29, 2024 said. The court made this observation while going through the report filed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
The court instructed the relevant authorities, including the Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Jal Board, District Magistrate of South East Delhi, and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department of NCT Delhi, to submit an affidavit to the tribunal. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for December 11, 2024.
The status report by the MCD disclosed that the municipal solid waste generation in Sangam Vihar is about 35-40 tonnes per day and that "there is no dhalao / Fixed Compactor Transfer Stations / secondary collection point in wards 168 and 169 due to space crunch". The corporation noted that “lifting and disposal of municipal solid waste poses a great threat to MCD”.
As there are narrow lanes and bylanes, garbage is collected through auto tippers and through manual rickshaws of private rag pickers/garbage collectors, the report said. However, the report does not mention from where the garbage is collected with the lack of a designated collection point, the court observed.
The counsel representing MCD informed that a request has been made to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for space or land to establish FCTS in the relevant wards. Despite sending communications to the DDA, no response has been received so far, the court was told.
The Times of India report on the basis of which suo motu cognisance was taken, contained photographs showing a huge heap of garbage. In spite of that, there has been no response in the report of the MCD to the pathetic condition reflected in the photograph, the court pointed out. MCD has sought time to place on record the current photographs.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has filed a report dated August 16, 2024, disclosing that an inspection was carried out by DPCC officials on August 8, 2024. Sewer overflow was observed at some locations and some internal streets were found broken and damaged.
Street drains were found overflowing and choking with municipal solid waste at some locations, the DPCC report said.
The photographs enclosed with the report of the DPCC also revealed the extremely bad condition of the sewer management in the area concerned, the court said.
Regarding the issue of inadequate sewage management, the MCD maintained that the responsibility belonged to the DJB.
Environmental compensation of Rs 2.30 crore imposed on Nagar Palika Parishad, Ballia for Ganga river pollution
On May 15, 2024, the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) initiated legal action under Section 43 of the Water Act, 1974 against the Nagar Palika Parishad, Ballia and its executive officer.
The case, filed before the Special Judicial Magistrate (Air and Water Pollution), pertains to their failure to establish a sewage treatment plant (STP) for treating sewage that is being released into the Ganga River via the Katahal drain.
Further, UPPCB has imposed environmental compensation of Rs 2.30 crore against the executive officer, Nagar Palika Parishad, Ballia, for failing to establish a sufficient sewage treatment system for the sewage being discharged into the Ganga River.
Due to the unrecovered environmental compensation, the UPPCB on August 29, 2024, requested the District Magistrate of Ballia to recover Rs 2.30 crores from the responsible authority.
This information was included in the report submitted by the UPPCB on August 30, 2024, in accordance with the NGT order dated May 17, 2024.
Unlawful tree cutting for cluster bus depot construction in Burari
The permission granted to the Special Commissioner (Transport) of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) to fell or transplant 495 trees (327 for felling and 168 for transplantation) for the construction of a cluster bus depot in Burari, Delhi, has been violated.
Consequently, a letter dated June 25, 2024, communicated that the security deposit made by the user agency has been forfeited in accordance with the NGT's directive, as reported by the Deputy Conservator of Forest, Central Forest Division, Delhi on September 1, 2024.
The user agency was instructed to deposit an extra Rs 40,18,500 for compensatory planting of 705 additional trees to replace 141 failed transplants out of the 168 trees approved for transplantation. Additionally, the agency was directed to allocate 50,895 square metres of land for compensatory planting of 5,655 trees.