No solution in sight till 2027 to treat solid waste in Delhi: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday expressed concern over the untreated solid waste in Delhi and directed the Central government to convene a meeting for a solution to the issue [In Re: Solid Waste Disposal]..A Bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih noted that no concrete solution seemed to be in sight until 2027 to treat 11,000 tonnes of solid waste generated in Delhi every day.The Court remarked that the Court does not "see light at the end of the tunnel" when it comes to solid waste management in the national capital and expressed concern that the situation could lead to a public health emergency. "As going by the MCD [Municipal Corporation of Delhi] affidavit and timelines therein, there are no possibilities of adequate facilities in Delhi till 2027 to treat 11,000 tonnes of solid waste in Delhi. No guesswork is needed that by then solid waste generated will multiply. It is a sorry state of affairs in the capital city and can lead to a public health emergency," the Court said..Accordingly, the Court directed the Secretary of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to hold the meeting with Delhi government and the MCD including its Commissioner.The Court said the meeting should discuss steps required to be taken to avoid an emergency situation. It further directed the Delhi government to consider the recent proposal regarding funding and permits for solid waste management plants.If this permission is not granted given the situation, MCD will not be able to comply with the rules, the Court said..The bench was hearing a case dealing with the deteriorating air quality in and around the national capital.The Supreme Court had in May expressed its shock at the sordid state of affairs in tacking the rising levels of untreated solid waste in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).It had lamented that authorities continued to remain indifferent to the issue that directly affects the fundamental right to life of citizens to live in a clean environment.It had, thus, directed the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the municipal bodies of NCR to convene a meeting for solutions in this regard.This was after it had earlier noted that the city was producing around 3,000 tonnes of solid waste everyday in excess of its processing capacity..During the resumed hearing today, the Court at the outset questioned the MCD for non-compliance of the rules on solid waste management.Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy, representing the MCD, submitted,"We have worked hard my lords."Justice Oka remarked the MCD was not obliging anyone by following the rules."Do not think you are obliging anybody by trying to follow 2016 rules.".The Court agreed with amicus curiae Aparajita Singh that situation in Delhi may lead to emergency as generation of solid waste daily is more than 11,000 metric tonnes and waste treatment plants' capacity is only 8073 tonnes. "We are sure former figure will gradually go on increasing," it said.When the Court was told that MCD's Standing Committee was still not in place, Justice Oka said,"As an aside, genuine issues affecting the people are in the cross fire between the two.".Meanwhile, the Court also remarked that the situation in Gurugram and Faridabad was equally worse.Unless we are harsh, these rules will not be implemented, it added."The situation can lead to a health emergency. Necessary meetings be conducted and affidavits be submitted within a month," the Court said, while listing the matter for next hearing on September 6.