Early Times Report
JAMMU, Oct 13: Division Bench of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court directed Commissioner, Jammu, Municipal Corporation; Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation; Director, Urban Local Bodies, Jammu/ Srinagar; and Director, Rural Development Department, Jammu/ Srinagar to inform the Court as to the steps taken for purpose of implementation of the action plan for management of solid waste in their respective jurisdiction.
Division Bench Comprising Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey and Justice Moksha Khajuria Qazmi while hearing a Public Interest Litigation on Wednesday, observed that in terms of Order dated 12th of August, 2022, the Principal Secretary to Government, Housing and Urban Development Department, J&K Government, was directed to file personal affidavit indicating compliance of each and every order so far passed by this Court in the matter from time to time.
In compliance of the aforesaid Order dated 12th of August, 2022, the Principal Secretary to Government, Housing and Urban Development Department, J&K Government, has filed the Affidavit, wherein the scheme of disposal of the municipal solid waste in terms of the Solid Waste Management Rules and Bye-Laws is stated to have been undertaken having reference to collection, segregation, storage, transportation and disposal of municipal solid waste. In paragraph No.6 of the Affidavit, reference is made to the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 notified on 8th of April, 2016 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India which assigns the duty/ responsibility to various Ministries of Central Government/ State Government, Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Boards, District Magistrates, local authorities, Village Panchayats, Industrial Units and Waste General units, etc. It is also stated in the Affidavit that the State Policy and Solid Waste Management Strategy, 2017 has been notified on 25th of January, 2018 with direction to the Director, Urban Local Bodies, Jammu/ Kashmir to circulate the policy among Chief Executive Officer/ Executive Officers of Municipal Committees/ Councils for implementation of the same and furnish monthly compliance report to the Administrative Department. Besides, the policy was uploaded on the website of the Housing and Urban Development Department for perusal of the public at large. That apart, the Affidavit also provides details about the compliance of the directions and the implementation of the policy of the Govt from time to time.
DB on examination of the Affidavit so filed, feels that much more practical steps are required to be taken by the concerned authorities in the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for dealing with the process of solid waste management inasmuch as the contents of the Affidavit clearly appear to be confined to paper work only at this stage.
DB directed the Commissioner, Jammu, Municipal Corporation; Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation; Director, Urban Local Bodies, Jammu/ Srinagar; and Director, Rural Development Department, Jammu/ Srinagar to inform the Court as to the steps taken for purpose of implementation of the action plan for management of solid waste in their respective jurisdiction. Let this information be supplied on Affidavit within three weeks. Besides, the Counsel for the Petitioners shall also file his response to the aforesaid Affidavit filed by the Principal Secretary to Government, Housing and Urban Development Department, J&K Government. DB also directed the Commissioner-Secretary to Government, Health and Medical Education Department to file affidavit detailing out the steps taken for segregation, collection and transportation of solid and medical waste from the Hospitals of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and other associated Hospitals. —JNF |
