Karnataka HC Directs State, BBMP To Come Out With Road Map To Dispose Solid Waste

The authorities have been told to consider the increase in waste that is going to be generated in Bengaluru, due to permissions granted for building large number of residential projects.

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi, said "In a span of one year over 1000 new building permission are granted by the corporation. If these new construction are occupied, surely extra waste will be generated, how will it be dealth with. State has to come out with a road map for the future."

The bench has given three weeks time to file an affidavit, giving proper and realistic road map. The direction was given during the hearing of bunch of petitions highlighting the non-compliance of rules and illegal dumping of unprocessed solid waste by the corporation, in quarries, causing damage to the environment.

Out of the average generation of the solid waste, in Bengaluru of about 5700 metric tonnes per day, more than 4400 tonnes of solid waste per day is being illegally disposed/dumped. Also, C and D waste is being dumped in the city without there being any facility available for processing the same.

Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi assured the court that state level advisory committee has been formed and steps will be taken within 2 to 3 weeks to come out with a road map. In it's order, on perusal of the affidavit filed by the Municipal Commissioner, the court said "This shows shocking state of affairs. BBMP has stopped dumping unprocessed waste at a quarry in Bellahali. The landfill did not have authorization from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, since 2016, but dumping went on till September 2019. This amounts to an offence under the Environment Protection Act. Now the site is closed, again without following due rules."

The bench directed the BBMP and the PCB to file compliance affidavit in 15 days on procedure followed at the time of closure of the site. Pollution board is directed to file affidavit stating what action was taken against the BBMP for continuing to dump at the landfill without due authorisation.

On a previous hearing, Justice Oka had said "Though 19 years have gone by after the MSW Rules, 2000 were enacted, today the situation in the city of Bengaluru, which is stated to be a 'garden city', is that more than 3/4th of daily generation of solid waste is being illegally dumped without scientifically processing it."

The bench also warned that "Depending upon the progress made which can be seen from the compliance report, the court will consider the question of passing a drastic order of imposing embargo on grant of building permissions by the BBMP."

The court has now posted the matter for further hearing on April 9.