NGT sets up committee under Delhi L-G to manage solid waste

New Delhi, February 17

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) today constituted a solid waste monitoring committee that will be headed by Delhi Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) VK Saxena. The panel will be constituted on the pattern of the Yamuna Monitoring Committee.

The NGT took the decision to form the committee under the leadership of the L-G after taking cognisance of the works undertaken by his office to dispose of 30 lakh metric tonne (MT) legacy solid waste in a period of just six months.

51 lakh Mt waste disposed of in 6 months

• The NGT took the decision after taking cognisance of the works undertaken by L-G office to dispose of the legacy solid waste
• His efforts ensured disposal of 30 lakh MT of waste in six months in comparison to 51 lakh MT waste between 2019 & June 2022

Saxena’s efforts after he took over as LG ensured that solid waste was disposed of at a rate of 6.5 Lakh MT per month in comparison to the 51 Lakh MT legacy waste disposed between 2019 to June 2022, at the rate of 1.4 Lakh MT per month.

The NGT have also underlined the functions of the committee. The panel will have to meet within one week and take stock of the situation with regard to the directions of the tribunal, extent of compliance, proposed remedial action for law compliance, sources of funding, utilisation of ring-fenced environment compensation and other aspects.

The NGT in its order also expressed dissatisfaction at the efforts undertaken so far by the Delhi Government and observed, “We are of the view that in the given situation when emergent situation remains untackled after monitoring at the level of Supreme Court for 18 years and at the level of this Tribunal for the last nine years, monitoring should now be at the highest-level of administration in Delhi with inclusion of all other concerned authorities – including Delhi Government, Municipal Corporation, DDA with strong monitoring mechanism envisaging weekly review with defined targets and accountability on the pattern of Yamuna Monitoring Committee. Accordingly, we constitute Solid Waste Monitoring Committee to be headed by the Delhi L-G.”