Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding solid waste management in Sikkim, 07/12/2023
Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of 'Compliance of Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and Other environmental issues' dated 07/12/2023.
The Original Application deals with the issue of solid and liquid waste management which is being monitored by the NGT in terms of the orders of the Supreme Court in the matter of Almitra H Patel Vs Union of India & Others and Paryavaran Suraksha Vs Union of India.
The NGT, November 3, 2022 had considered the compliance status in respect of the state of Sikkim in the presence of Chief Secretary, Sikkim and had found that the gap was existing in management of solid and liquid waste.
A progress report from August 2023 onwards has been filed on December 6, 2023. On examination of the report, the tribunal noted that when it comes to solid waste in urban local bodies the total generation is 68.9 tons per days while processing is done for 23.75 tons per day while 45.15 tons per day are dumped in landfill sites. Further, legacy waste of 1,50,000 is accumulated in Gangtok for which bio mining is proposed. Since the legacy waste is unattended and with the existing daily solid waste getting accumulated which is 45.15 tons per day the waste accumulation as a legacy waste would become untreatable leading to huge contamination of soil, leachate generation apart from harming birds and other fauna, the court said.
The court pointed out some deficiencies in the report for instance there is no information regarding the functioning and outer water quality of the 9 STPs. Further the utilization of the treated water has also been not indicated.
The NGT, December 7, 2023 directed filing of a further six monthly report by the Chief Secretary, Sikkim showing the action taken in respect of the deficiencies along with other details of the action taken in compliance of the earlier orders of the Supreme Court and the NGT.