High court pulls up BBMP for defying court orders on SWM

The Karnataka High Court on Friday, directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to deposit Rs 50,000 for failing to comply with the court's directions pertaining to setting up of additional solid waste management plants in all the wards of the city.

A division bench of Justice B S Patil and Justice B V Nagarathana was hearing a batch of public interest litigations filed by Kavitha Shankar, Leo Saldanha and others who charged the BBMP of dumping solid waste in the quarries of Bagalur, Mittiganahalli and Bellahalli. The petitions, being heard by the court since July 2012, are concerned with tackling solid waste management crises.

The court directed the BBMP commissioner to take strict action against the ward committees and erring officials who fail to comply with the court's directions. The court also directed the commissioner to file a compliance of the court's directions through an affidavit that shall be submitted in the next
hearing.

The court came down heavily on the BBMP and orally observed that the corporation has no regard for the court's orders. The court also observed that non-compliance can amount to contempt of court.

The bench observed that solid waste management in the city is a matter of great public importance.

The city civic body is acting against the interest of the public by violating the directions of the court.

The report with regard to the dumping of solid waste in quarries is in a similar position as no response has been received from the ward committees in this regard.

The matter was adjourned to March 28.

DH News Service