NEW DELHI: The committee appointed by Delhi High Court to formulate by-laws for waste segregation has come down heavily on commercial establishments in the capital for failing to adhere to the norms.
Final shape has been given to the waste segregation by-laws—formulated based on the ‘waste management plan’ laid down by the Union Urban Development Ministry in 2016 for municipalities across India—which were approved by the High Court and sent to Chief Secretary M M Kutty. It will be further sent to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.
Once given the nod, the by-laws will impose a fine of `100-500 for households if waste is not segregated; the penalty for commercial establishments is between `50,000 and `1 lakh. The laws drafted by the Delhi State Legal Service Authority (DSLSA) focus on reducing the pressure on the three landfill sites in the capital—at Okhla, Ghazipur and Narela-Bawana—and ultimately limiting them to centres for converting energy from waste. Two people had recently died when a towering garbage pile crashed at Ghazipur landfill.
“Municipal Corporations of Delhi have the prime responsibility of carrying out sanitation work in the city and bring in rules for it. The MCDs made efforts to implement rules regarding waste segregation, but that was it. So, the High Court had to intervene,” said Deepak Hastir, head of department, Department of Environment Management Services, North Delhi Municipal Corporation.
The waste that is not divided to biodegradable and non-biodegradable are complex to be broken down and converted to energy. Conversion into energy is the so far deemed the best method to reduce the existing load of garbage at the overflowing three landfill sites. “We have recommended to increase the penalties for bulk generators of waste. Restaurants and hotels empty their vans in an unplanned manner, this has to change,” said Sanjeev Jain, chairman, DSLSA.