Solid waste management: SC directs NCR states to prepare comprehensive plan

The Supreme Court on Monday directed National Capital Region (NCR) states to prepare a comprehensive plan for waste management with timelines and implementing agencies as it emphasized that segregating waste at source was of "vital importance” for environment protection.

"In one of the orders, we have observed that all smart city projects are in progress. How can the cities become smart without compliance with the Solid Waste Management Rules?" a Bench led by Justice AS Oka wondered.

The Bench – which also included Justice Ujjal Bhuyan -- asked the NCR states to file their respective affidavits containing comprehensive waste management plans by March. "Needless to add that the affidavits will state compliance in relation to all urban local bodies within the NCR,” it said, adding the authorities needed to set out the "best practices" they proposed to follow for solid waste management.

It also sought a report from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to submit a report on the impact of waste-to-energy projects on the environment.

The order came during hearing of a matter relating to implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in the NCR – which comprised Delhi and certain districts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

As senior advocate and amicus curiae Aparajita Singh flagged the low percentage of segregation of waste, the Bench said if there was no proper segregation of waste even waste-to-energy projects would create more pollution.

Singh said sending un-segregated waste to waste-to-energy plants caused more pollution.

The Bench had earlier pulled up MCD for its failure to comply with the 2016 Rules. "We are facing a huge problem which arises due to the fact that approximately 3,000 tonnes of solid waste generated every day in Delhi remains untreated. With the passage of time, this figure is bound to increase," the top court had said on January 27.