The apex court noted the submissions of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF) that there was a total outlay of Rs 36,829 crore under the mission out of which Rs 7,424 crore was made available by the Centre.
A bench of justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said that the issue pertaining to solid waste management was needed to be looked into with all due concern and seriousness by the state governments, particularly in context of 'Swachh Bharat Mission'.
"It is stated in the affidavit of the MoEF that the Government of India has launched a Swachh Bharat Mission for which there is a total outlay of Rs 36,829 crore out of which Rs 7,424 crores have been made available by the central government," the bench said.
"Therefore, it is quite clear that there is absolutely no shortage of funds, but there is only absence of any initiative or lack of any willingness to take any positive steps for solid waste management," it said.
Also Read
Additional Solicitor General A N S Nadkarni, appearing for MoEF, referred to the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and said that one of its provision required setting up of a state level advisory body (SLAB).
The court asked the MoEF to issue a communication to all the states requiring information from them about setting up of the SLAB, names of its members, number of meetings held, the decisions taken and steps taken for implementation of the 2016 rules.
"The state governments should keep in mind the fact that availability of funds is not a problem under Swachh Bharat Mission and also keep in mind that solid waste management is a huge problem being faced by the country at this stage," it said in a recent order and fixed the matter for hearing on February 6 next year.
The court had earlier expressed grave concern over deaths due to vector-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya and said that lack of waste management was the cause for several lives being lost across the country from such diseases.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content