NGT grants HPSPCB four weeks to tackle littering, solid waste dumping at Koksar in in Lahaul and Spiti district

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, July 17

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB) to take effective remedial measures within four weeks to tackle the problem of littering and dumping of solid waste in Koksar, a popular tourist destination in Lahaul and Spiti district.

The NGT gave the directions on July 12 on a petition filed by an NGO, Friends, over the absence of a proper mechanism to deal with solid waste left by tourists in Koksar. The NGO demanded capping of the number of tourists to be allowed to go up to Koksar per day, besides a carrying-capacity study of this tourist place located on the Manali-Leh highway, considering its environmental fragility. The case would now come up for renewed hearing on October 18.

The Green Bench, while granting four weeks for taking steps for the effective management of waste, said that the petitioner had pointed out that in the absence of a carrying-capacity study of the area, tourist pressure and consequential solid waste mismanagement had increased. The petitioner pointed out that the area in question remains frozen for almost seven months, therefore, solid waste gets solidified, leaving a very limited window for cleaning it.

The court observed that the Solid Waste Management Rules (15, 16 and 17), 2016, fixed responsibility on the local authorities and panchayats, HPSPCB and the manufacturers of disposable products like sanitary napkins and diapers.

The CPCB submitted that within four weeks, effective steps would be taken to ensure remediation of the problem, no replies were filed on behalf of the Union Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Himachal Government, Deputy Commissioner of Lahaul-Spiti and Koksar panchayat.

Capping of number of tourists sought

• An NGO demanded capping of the number of tourists to be allowed to go up to Koksar per day, besides a carrying-capacity study of this tourist place located on the Manali-Leh highway
• The NGT had earlier capped the number of vehicles to be allowed to ply to Rohtang and permitted the use of electric vehicles to prevent pollution and melting of glaciers
• The NGT rapped various Central and state agencies on improper waste disposal in popular tourist destinations like Manali