Plastic pollution: Guj HC demands report on plastic disposal sites from GPCB
Updated: Sep 23rd, 2024
In a move to address plastic pollution in Gujarat, the High Court has directed the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to collect detailed information on plastic waste disposal sites from all municipal corporations, municipalities, nagar panchayats, notified area committees, and related gram panchayats.
This directive follows concerns raised during a public interest litigation filed by Advocate Amit Panchal, particularly regarding the unauthorised disposal of plastic waste by the Junagadh Municipal Corporation through private operators without necessary approvals.
During the hearing, Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi expressed their dissatisfaction with the Junagadh Municipal Corporation’s actions, holding the Municipal Commissioner accountable for violating the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The court instructed the GPCB to conduct inspections of all sites where plastic waste management has been contracted to private agencies and to take appropriate action against any sites found in violation of the 2016 rules. This includes issuing show-cause notices and imposing fines, with opportunities for affected parties to respond.
The court also sought a detailed report from the Junagadh Municipal Commissioner on how plastic waste is managed in the Girnar Mountain and eco-sensitive zone areas. It was revealed that three private operators were assigned tasks related to plastic waste management without the required GPCB approvals, raising serious compliance concerns.
Additionally, the High Court has requested a response from the state government regarding the establishment of a state-level monitoring committee to ensure effective implementation of the Plastic Waste Management Rules.
The Additional Chief Secretary has been ordered to submit an affidavit on the matter, with further hearings scheduled for next month.
Also read:
Guj HC slaps ₹20 lakh fine on GPCB over neglect in Dwarka pollution case
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