NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal has directed South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to ensure speedy removal of cow dung lying on the roadside near milk dairies in Nazafgarh here.
A bench, headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, directed SDMC to recover the entire cost for removal and transportation of the cow dung from the dairy owners on the 'polluter pays' principle.
"Corporation shall ensure that it removes the entire cow dung from the road in question. This, however, would be in addition to the action already taken by the Corporation against the dairy owners.
"In the event of default, the concerned officer-incharge of the Corporation on the site in question will be personally responsible for proceeding against in accordance with law," the bench said.
The green panel also directed the Delhi government to consider the request of the Corporation for allotment of the site for establishment of a bio-gas plant in accordance with law "expeditiously".
During the hearing, advocate Pooja Kalra told the bench that the cow dung has already been removed from the site in question and it has also taken penal action against the dairy owners responsible for the act.
Kalra also assured the bench SDMC would ensure that in future no cow dung is permitted to be stored on the roadside.
The direction came while hearing a plea by a resident welfare association which had approached the Tribunal seeking removal of "huge quantity" of cow dung lying on the side of the road no 5, Arjun Park in Nazafgarh.
The association had alleged that the cow dung has been lying there for months and was causing environmental and health hazards.