‘You say I’m Superman, but don’t exercise your power’, SC pulls up Delhi LG for garbage problem

Days after the Supreme Court pulled up the Delhi government as well as the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Delhi for the mounds of garbage burying the National Capital, the Court rebuked the LG for his inaction in the matter..The Bench of Justice Madan Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta was apprised by Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand that it was, in fact, the municipal corporations that are responsible for solid waste management..Dissatisfied with this submission by the ASG, Justice Lokur observed that it was nothing but passing the buck by the LG. Justice Lokur asked why the LG was not exercising the powers he claims to have vis-à-vis the Delhi administration..The Bench observed that according to the affidavit submitted by the LG, the responsibility of issuing directions to the authorities on solid waste disposal vested with the LG and yet there was inaction..“You say ‘I’m Superman, I have all the power’ but you will not exercise any of that power… This is just passing the buck… saying ‘I’m a responsible man but nobody can touch me, it’s the corporations who are responsible for the work’. The height of dump has increased which shows inaction of the office of the LG”, a visibly irked Justice Lokur said..The Court was also informed about the lack of funds faced by some municipal corporations, due to which the work in solid waste disposal has come to a standstill. To this, the Court said,.“We find it surprising that due to lack of funds, parts of Delhi should be converted into dump sites.”.The Court has directed the LG to file an affidavit by July 16 informing the Court of the time-bound steps to be taken to tackle the issue of solid waste disposal..During the previous hearing in the case, the Court had imposed costs of Rs. 1 lakh on 10 States and Union Territories for failing to comply with the Solid Waste Management Rules and orders of the Supreme Court..As regards, the “mountains of garbage” in Delhi, the Court, taking a dig at the Delhi’s administrative power tussle, had asked who was answerable – The Office of Chief Minister or the Office of the Lieutenant Governor..Read the order below.