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.