“Ring-fenced amount of Rs 200 cr be set apart for waste management”: Uttrakhand Govt to NGT

New Delhi [India], May 12 (ANI): The Uttrakhand Government through its Chief Secretary has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that a ring-fenced amount of Rs 200 crores for urban solid and sewage management be set apart for the purpose of a solid as well as liquid waste management in the state.

“Ring-fenced amount of atleast Rs 200 crores be set apart in terms of a statement of the Chief Secretary, Uttrakhand which has been taken on record and such funds be kept as “non-lapsable”, the Tribunal noted.

Legacy waste at nine sites and at other sites be remediated without further delay and quantify remediated legacy waste indicating that no legacy waste is remaining and reported in the next compliance report. Immediate efforts be made for ensuring connectivity with existing Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and proposed STPs, said the tribunal.

The bench headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel in an order passed on May 11, 2023, said, “We hope in the light of interaction with the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand will take further measures in the matter by innovative approach and stringent monitoring, ensuring that gaps in solid and liquid waste generation and treatment are bridged at the earliest, shortening the proposed timelines, adopting alternative/interim measures to the extent and wherever found viable.”

The tribunal further directed that restoration plans need to be executed at the earliest simultaneously in all districts, cities, towns and villages in a time-bound manner without further delay.

“Compliance be ensured by Chief Secretary,” the tribunal said, adding, “The Chief Secretary, Uttrakhand may take further remedial measures to ensure compliance of Solid Waste Management Rules considering the statutory timelines to be sacrosanct as already directed by this Tribunal judgment. Similarly, the timelines for ensuring the setting up of necessary sewage management systems have to be accepted as rigid timelines in view of the judgment of the Supreme Court.”

Tribunal further said that the Chief Secretary may set up a centralized single window mechanism for planning, capacity building and monitoring of waste management at the state level and district level and state-level monitoring mechanisms be set up under the chief secretary and district level monitoring mechanism under the district magistrate for monthly review starting from June 1.

“Plastic waste and construction and demolition waste processing plants be set up ensuring that bio-medical, hazardous and E-waste are not co-mingled and treated with solid waste. Immediate efforts be made for ensuring connectivity with STPs and proposed STPs,” the Tribunal further directed.

The tribunal further expressed ‘hope’ that in the light of interaction with the Chief Secretary, the State will take further measures in the matter by an innovative approach and stringent monitoring, ensuring that legacy waste, as well as unprocessed waste and liquid waste generation and treatment, are bridged at the earliest, shortening the proposed timelines, adopting alternative and interim measures to the extent and wherever found viable.

Earlier, while awarded Environment Compensation in several states, the NGT had said that award of compensation has become necessary under section 15 of the NGT Act to remedy the continuing damage to the environment and to comply with directions of the Supreme Court requiring this Tribunal to monitor enforcement of norms for solid and liquid waste management.

Moreover, without fixing the quantified liability necessary for restoration, the mere passing of orders has not shown any tangible results in the last several years (for solid waste management) and five years (for liquid waste management), even after the expiry of statutory/laid down timelines. Continuing damage is required to be prevented in future and past damage is to be restored, said the bench.