HC warns Govt of Rs 50,000 costs if it fails to file status report

Srinagar, July 16: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh ordered that a fine of Rs 50,000 would be imposed on the government if it failed to file a status report regarding the implementation of the provisions of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, in Jammu and Kashmir.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice N Kotiswar Singh and Justice Rajesh Sekhri warned the government of the costs after it observed that there was re-misses on its part in filing the report.

“Despite opportunities granted by this court, the status report has not been filed till date. Last and final opportunity of four weeks is granted to the respondents for filling the status report, failing which, costs of Rs 50,000 shall be imposed,” the  bench said.

The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by an NGO Environmental Policy Group (APG) seeking intervention for the implementation of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, in Jammu and Kashmir.

The PIL also seeks to make arrangements for local segregation and treatment of the solid waste to ensure that only 10 percent of such waste is taken to landfill sites and make effective planning in a way which would ensure the conversion of possible waste into energy, organic compost and treatment of other solid waste under the Waste Management Rules.

It also seeks direction to the authorities to treat and dispose of the biomedical waste generated across J&K in all private, and government hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics by the rules.

The PIL seeks direction to the authorities to take steps for treatment of fruit and vegetable waste across J&K as the same was being mixed with other non-biodegradable waste and finally dumped unscientifically at the landfill sites despite the fact that a proper mechanism was available for getting funding from Union Agriculture Ministry for purchasing machines to process fruit and vegetable market waste which will be finally converted into organic compost.

It seeks direction to the authorities to file a response about the steps taken towards implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules of 2016 and Bio-Medical Waste Rules, Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban and Grameen) and fruit vegetable waste processing schemes of the Union Agriculture Ministry.