Business Line 03.04.2013
SC issues notices to municipal bodies on plastic waste
Observing that amount of plastic waste in the country has become “frightening”, the Supreme Court today issued notices to municipal commissioners of Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Agra, Jaipur and Faridabad on its management and disposal.
A Bench, headed by Justice G S Singhvi, also issued notices to Pollution Control Boards at the Centre and all States to file their responses on the way plastic waste is being handled by the authorities after the Centre submitted that 15,342 tonnes plastic waste generated per day.
The court granted four weeks time to them to file their responses and posted the case for hearing on May 3.
The Centre told the Bench that 40 per cent of the total plastic waste generated per day remain uncollected and littered.
Expressing shock over the figure, the Bench said, “The data is frightening and steps needed to be taken as the plastic waste will affect not only this generation but generations to come.
“We need to call upon the Central and State Pollution Control Boards to submit their reports on the compliance of rules for disposal of plastic waste,” the Bench said.
The Bench said that it will first examine the plastic waste disposal system in six cities——Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Agra, Jaipur and Faridabad——and issued notice to their Municipal Commissioners to file their responses.
“On the basis of the survey conducted in 60 major cities, the total quantum of plastic waste generated in the country is estimated to be 15,342.46 tonnes per day and out of that 9,205 tonnes are recycled and rest 6,137 remain littered,” the Centre told the Bench.
