The National Green Tribunal has reprimanded the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) for delay in acquiring a site for dumping of municipal solid waste in Almora district of Uttarakhand, pending for nine months.
The green panel also slammed the Ministry for causing adjournments in the case for "small reasons" and directed it to deal with the proposal, pending with it for nine months, expeditiously.
"Vide our order dated December 8, 2015, we had required the counsel appearing for the MoEF to take complete instructions. Thereafter the matter was adjourned to January 14, 2016. On which date again the matter was adjourned to February 17, 2016. Counsel now submits that he will take instructions. We are unable to appreciate this style of functioning.
Also Read
"If the cases are adjourned for such small reasons for four hearings, we are not sure as to what would be the consequences particularly keeping in mind that the Tribunal is required to dispose of cases within six months from its institution, in terms of the legislative scheme of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010," a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
The Tribunal directed Uttarakhand government to ensure that MSW is properly collected, dumped and there is no burning of such waste in the entire state.
It also imposed a cost of Rs 15,000 on the executive officer of the Almora municipality to be recovered from his salary.
"We find that Executive Officer of the Municipality has failed to discharge his duty and not complied with the orders of the Tribunal, despite grant of opportunity. Indiscriminate dumping particularly burning of MSW is bound to have adverse impact on environment and human health," the bench said.
The Tribunal was hearing a plea filed by environment activist Jitender Yadav against indiscriminate dumping of MSW which was hazardous for the environment and human health.
Yadav has also claimed that besides indiscriminate dumping, MSW is even burnt frequently on the road side.
