PCB’s action against ULBs indicative of H&UDD’s slackness
Scientific disposal remains distant dream in all distts
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 9: Due to absolute non-serious approach of the Housing and Urban Development Department, Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules have not been strictly implemented in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir even after the lapse of 21 years and instances of inept handling of waste by the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) are coming to the fore after regular intervals.
The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests vide notification dated September 25, 2000 had framed the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules and it was specifically mentioned in the same that every Municipal Authority shall, within its territorial area, shall be responsible for the implementation of the provisions of these Rules, and for any infrastructure development for collection, storage, segregation, transportation, processing and disposal of municipal solid wastes.
It has further been mentioned in these Rules as well as those amended in the year 2016 that Secretary Incharge of the Department of Urban Development of the concerned State or the Union Territory shall have the overall responsibility for the enforcement of the provisions and the District Magistrate or the Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district shall have the overall responsibility for the enforcement of the provisions of these Rules within the territorial limits of their jurisdiction.
However, even after the lapse of 21 years these Rules have not been strictly implemented in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir mainly because of non-serious approach on the part of Housing and Urban Development Department, which has administrative control over the Urban Local Bodies (Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Municipal Committees).
This can be gauged from the action being taken by the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee against the Municipal Committees after regular intervals for illegal and unscientific dumping and disposal of solid waste particularly along the banks of the water bodies.
As per the official data, Environment Compensation in the light of directions of the National Green Tribunal has already been imposed on Executive Officers of around dozen Urban Local Bodies in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir by the Pollution Control Committee till date and some of them have already started paying the same.
The Environment Compensation has been worked out as per the Polluter Pays Principle for violation of Solid Waste Management Rules and the contents of the communications of the Pollution Control Committee clearly reveal how blatantly these Rules are being violated by the Urban Local Bodies which is leading to degradation of environment, sources said while disclosing that recently Executive Officer of the Municipal Council Kathua was directed by the Pollution Control Committee to pay Environment Compensation to the tune of Rs 82.40 lakh.
Among the Urban Local Bodies which have already been directed to pay Environment Compensation for flouting the Solid Waste Management Rules are Municipal Committee Bandipora, Municipal Committee Sopore and Municipal Committee Udhampur.
“Despite being aware of the fact that Urban Local Bodies are being punished for flouting the Solid Waste Management Rules, the Housing and Urban Development Department has not initiated any step so as to ensure collection, storage and disposal of waste in scientific manner and in line with the provisions of these Rules”, sources said.
“In certain districts the land stands identified but no step has been initiated for establishment of solid waste disposal plants and in other districts even the land identification exercise has not been conducted”, sources informed, adding “mere house to house collection of Municipal Solid Waste is not going to improve the situation unless scientific disposal is ensured”.
The Rules state: “Municipal authorities shall establish and maintain storage facilities in such a manner as they do not create unhygienic and in sanitary conditions around it. Storage facilities to be set up by Municipal authorities or any other agency shall be so designed that wastes stored are not exposed to open atmosphere”.
“However, storage facilities including in Jammu and Srinagar cities, which are being developed as smart ones, don’t meet the criteria laid down in the Rules and wastes being stored there is completely exposed to open atmosphere”, sources said, adding “every morning the Municipal vehicles littering the waste on the road while transporting from different localities to the storage facilities can be easily seen”.
“Instead of being mute spectator to Urban Local Bodies being openly violating the Rules and facing penalty from the Pollution Control Committee, the Housing and Urban Development Department is required to work out a plan for creation of facilities for scientific disposal in each district”, sources stressed.
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