HYDERABAD: Expressing concern at contamination of water bodies due to dumping of waste, including plastic material, a division bench of the Hyderabad High Court on Monday directed the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) to take steps for removal of wastage and to prevent use of plastic in Araku, a tourist spot in Visakhapatnam district. Even the snow in Araku smells like plastic due to burning of plastic material. The bench directed the APPCB to send an officer to Araku to prevent plastic usage and place relevant photos before the court for necessary action.
The bench made it clear to the State government that the severity of the problem would be known only if the salaries of the panchayat secretaries were stopped if they fail to implement strictly the guidelines meant for removal of wastage at the village level. The district collector and district panchayat officer should monitor the activities of the panchayat secretaries, the bench noted.
The bench comprising Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan and Justice SV Bhatt, was passing this order in the petition filed by K Puma Rao, director of Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Straw Boards Private Limited, complaining illegal dumping activity of solid and liquid waste in Peddarampilli tank and on its bunds and construction of a permanent dumping yard on the tank bunds for dumping of village waste and to burn the same there itself openly.
The petitioner alleged that the authorities concerned have failed to take action for protecting water bodies, and urged the court to direct them to maintain the tank bunds clean and hygienic to preserve ecological balance. On earlier occasion, the bench directed the district collector to organise a workshop with the assistance of APPCB for the panchayat secretaries on maintenance of wastage.
On Monday, the government counsel told the court that a workshop was conducted by the APPCB authorities for all the panchayat secretaries of the district on December 6. A test was also conducted on the subject “Guidelines for Maintenance of Wastage”.
The bench said that it would be better if the test was conducted after two to three weeks to ascertain their subject knowledge after attending the workshop. At this stage, the bench responded on the plastic usage in Araku and passed the above order. The bench posted the matter after two weeks for further hearing.