PATNA: The Patna High Court (HC) on Monday directed Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) to make effective its grievance redressal mechanism to address the civic needs of the people immediately.

A division bench, comprising Justice Shiva Kirti Singh and Justice Ravi Ranjan, issued the directive while hearing the PIL of Jan Chowkidar seeking implementation of Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000, for removal of garbage from the city, garbage segregation and dumping of solid waste in a landfill which is being created on the outskirts of Patna. Petitioner's counsel Arvind Kumar submitted that the PMC and authorities concerned have to provide infrastructure for all civic functioning.

The court directed the PMC to complete soon the landfill which is being constructed south of the city of Patna for dumping urban solid waste. The petitioner's counsel sought direction to the PMC and government for creating a provision for use of CNG for running commercial vehicles, including autorickshaws, in Patna as the commercial vehicles have been causing air pollution in the city.

On this, the court asked additional advocate general Lalit Kishore to take up this matter with the government. Kishore, however, argued that the PIL arguments should be limited to removal garbage and solid waste management in the city. The petitioner's counsel submitted that the PIL was related to various parameters of urban living and so air pollution caused by commercial vehicles was a matter to be looked into by the government and its civic agencies.