The Pioneer 27.04.2013
HC summons DDA VC for lack of garbage dumping ground
The Delhi High Court
has summoned the Vice-Chairman of Delhi Development Authority on a
petition filed against the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Delhi
Government alleging that rising garbage heaps and scarcity of landfill
areas are affecting ground water quality, making it poisonous. During
the hearing, the MCD has contended that the DDA has failed to provide
enough land for the garbage dumping ground in the Capital.
The court, headed by Justice GS Sistani, has asked SK Srivastava,
Vice-Chairman of Delhi Development Authority along with Commissioners of
all MCDs and Secretary of Urban Development to appear in court on the
next hearing scheduled for May 14.
In the meanwhile, the Delhi Government, MCD and DDA have been directed
to conduct a meeting and work together on the solution and file a joint
report on the matter. The meeting is to be headed by Chief Secretary of
Delhi Government.
The MCD had earlier filed an application in the Supreme Court against
the DDA complaining about the scarcity of landfill sites, after which
the apex court transferred the High Court to identify dumping grounds
for the disposal of municipal solid waste.
“Under the Master Plan 2021, the DDA had to provide the MCD with 1500
acres of land for the purpose of dumping waste but we have 150 acres
only. The DDA needs to be pressurised to provide the land immediately,”
said Sumeet Pushkarna, Counsel for MCD.
The high court had previously given direction to identify the dumping
grounds. Some of the landfill sites identified are Ghazipur east and
Ghummanhera (south-west Delhi) among others which have been objected to
by the nearby residents. With huge heaps of garbage dumped everyday,
these sites have become an environmental threat. The ones already in the
radar are Bhalswa and Okhla with 30-40 metre tall garbage heaps.