Punjab and Haryana High Court calls for expert solutions for solid waste management

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Chandigarh, January 31

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today called for expert solutions to Dadu Majra garbage dump issue. As the matter came up for resumed hearing, the Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Ritu Bahri and Justice Nidhi Gupta, directed the petitioners to present expert solutions aimed at addressing the prolonged waste management challenges haunting the dumping ground for more than a decade.

The Bench had earlier received a detailed project report from the MC, assuring a resolution of the issue. But petitioner-advocate Amit Sharma raised concerns, claiming over 150 handwritten corrections in financial estimates, within the DPR submitted by the Municipal Corporation. He underscored the fact that the IIT professor endorsing the report was from the electrical engineering department, lacking expertise in civil engineering crucial for solid waste management.

Sharma emphasised the MC’s failure to consult the 2016 Solid Waste Management Manual while approving the Rs 400 crore project. He referenced instructions from the NGT in past cases, highlighting the MC’s recurrent non-compliance with waste management rules.

During the proceedings, the Bench sought examples of the manual’s successful implementation. Advocate Molly Lakhanpal on behalf of the other petitioner cited Indore as an example, prompting the Bench to ask for additional instances. The Bench instructed the petitioners to compile a comprehensive list of cities following the manual and seek expert opinions for the proposed tender before the next hearing. The UT informed the court of its plans to float fresh tenders for a processing plant.