After NGT rap, meet called on solid waste

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 17

Following the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding solid waste management, the Chief Secretary has called a meeting of the local bodies officials and commissioners of municipal corporations on July 21.

Ajoy Sharma, Secretary, Local Bodies, said a preliminary meeting was held today, but issues would be debated at length again on Friday. The NGT had, on July 11, asked the Chief Secretary to hold a meeting within a week’s time.

The NGT had pulled up the state and civic bodies, saying: “The state government, its instrumentalities and all public authorities must realise that collection, transportation and disposal of waste in accordance with Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, is their constitutional and statutory duty. They cannot find an excuse every time by shifting the blame on one another.”

There was a proposal to establish eight clusters for processing municipal waste across the state. The plant in Bathinda was to be made operative, but the project failed miserably. Besides, no other project took off owing to disputes between the parties and the project proponent. Termination notices have already been served to three clusters – Bathinda, Jalandhar and Ferozepur.

The main issues are tipping fees, allotment of land and its possession, as far as the project proponent is concerned. Non-performance, improper collection of waste and efficient disposal are the grievances of the local administration.