SPCB: Ensure scientific disposal of plastic waste

Solan, February 6

The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) has directed the Urban Development (UD), Rural Development (RD) and Panchayati Raj (PR) Departments to ensure scientific disposal of the plastic waste dumped haphazardly across 70 dump sites in the state.

70 dumps identified

• The issue was highlighted by The Tribune in its report, “70 plastic dumps identified in Himachal via satellite imagery”
• The Dept of Environment, Science and Technology had identified these sites through satellite imagery

The issue was highlighted by The Tribune in its report “70 plastic dumps identified in Himachal via satellite imagery”.

The Department of Environment, Science and Technology had identified these sites through satellite imagery. The information pertaining to the sites was being conveyed to the local authorities for scientific disposal of plastic waste.

A spokesperson of the SPCB said the Rule 15 of the Solid Waste Management Rules (SWM)-2016, clearly stipulated the role and responsibilities of the local authorities and panchayats regarding the scientific disposal of the solid waste produced and the remediation of legacy waste.

At present, according to the board, legacy waste of around 1,90,796 tonnes is lying in the jurisdictions of various urban local bodies (ULBs) at Dharamsala, Mandi, Baddi, Solan, Kullu, Manali, Bilaspur, Una, Santokhgarh, Baijnath, Chowari, Dalhousie, Rewalsar, Sarkaghat and Hamirpur.

It has been observed that the progress of legacy waste remediation work in most of these ULBs is sluggish.

Board’s spokesperson said the UD and RD departments had been directed to strictly comply with various provisions and rules as the situation was being closely monitored by the National Green Tribunal since 2018.