“We Are Not Garbage Collectors”, SC On Centre’s 845-Page Incomplete Affidavit On Solid Waste Management

An attempt by the Centre to file a 845-page affidavit in a PIL pertaining to solid waste management across the country became the butt of a joke in the Supreme Court when Justice Madan B Lokur called the document itself a “solid waste” and angrily reminded that the apex court is not a “garbage collector”.

The bench was angry as the affidavit was found not complete and told the Centre’s counsel: “ Do not try to junk” such garbage before us.

It refused to accept the affidavit and asked the Centre not to file the affidavit in such bulky text book style but as a chart with useful information which can be easily absorbed and understood.

“So this is what you have brought to us. So what are you trying to do? Trying to impress us? No sorry .We are  not impressed. You think you can dump anything before us..just junk go on junking. This is not done..we are not going to take it. Things cannot be this way. You better understand..see we are not garbage collectors”, an angry justice Lokur said

When the counsel did not have satisfactory answers to several of the bench’s questions, justice Lokur asked “What is the point in giving us document having nothing. What kind of affidavits are they..why should we take them on record . We are asking relevant questions seems you yourself not seen it..and then you want us to see it ” the bench observed.

Within three weeks, the Centre has been asked to submit an affidavit in a chart form with details of if all states and UTs have formed state-level advisory boards as per the provision of Solid Waste Management Rules 2016.

It also directed the government to state in its chart the date the advisory boards were constituted in the states and UTs, names of members of the boards and also details of any meetings conducted by them.

Centre informed the court that they have received information from 22 states about constitution of state-level advisory boards and have compiled data received from the respective states. But the SC was not satisfied

 “GARBAGE MOUND LIKE QUTUB MINAR”

On October 21 the Supreme Court had rapped the Delhi government for not doing enough to dispose of the huge quantity of waste and rather dumping it on landfill sites which were already overflowing

 “Garbage mounds near landfill sites are above 45 metres. These are almost like towers as like Qutub Minar. Height of Qutub Minar is 73 metres and these mounds are more than half the size. It's an alarming situation. Who is going to deal with it? You (government) have to deal with the problem”, the bench had said.