'Blatant in national capital': Supreme Court raps MCD over 3k tonne untreated solid waste daily

New Delhi: This is blatant in the national capital, the Supreme Court on Friday said as it came down heavily on the MCD over 3,000 tonne of solid waste remaining untreated everyday.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan referred to a Municipal Corporation of Delhi's (MCD) affidavit which said the untreated solid waste in the national capital would be cleared by December, 2027.

"What is happening in the national capital? We are shocked to read this affidavit which says that it will take time till December 2027 to clear it," the bench said.

The top court went on, "This heap of garbage will remain till 2027. What is this? The MCD says by December 2027 it will be cleared. The Union of India cannot shut its eyes.... This is blatant in the national capital." The top court warned of passing some drastic orders such as a direction to stop construction activities in the national capital to mitigate the issue.

While hearing a matter relating to the implementation of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in Delhi, the bench observed 3,000 tonne of solid waste remained untreated in the national capital daily.

"Where this untreated solid waste goes?" it asked.

The MCD's counsel said the waste was taken to landfill sites at Bhalswa and Ghazipur.

"You have made a tall promise that it will be cleared by December 2027... You must file an affidavit stating where are you dumping these 3,000 tonne of untreated solid waste everyday," the bench said, "and just see the brazen manner in which this affidavit has been filed." Expressing dissatisfaction, the bench said today, it was 3,000 tonne of solid waste everyday, and after an year it might become 5,000 tonne per day.

"This cannot continue in Delhi," the bench said.

Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, assisting the top court as an amicus curiae, said the problem was that the Delhi government and the Centre were not coordinating to deal with the issue.

"We will make them sit together," the bench said, asking the Centre to look into this issue.

The court said further, "Don't compel us to pass some harsh directions. Such issues will have to be dealt with in a drastic manner." It said the MCD's affidavit would be considered on January 27 when the bench would deal with the issue of solid waste management.

While hearing the matter in November last year, the apex court flagged the "complete failure" of agencies in implementing the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in the national capital.

The court said it was a matter of immense importance that the 2016 Rules were implemented in its true letter and spirit in Delhi.

The issue of solid waste management in Delhi-National Capital Region cropped up before the apex court, hearing a matter related to pollution in the national capital and adjoining areas.

The apex court had slammed the MCD over the "sorry state of affairs" and said the national capital generated over 11,000 tonne of solid waste per day whereas the daily capacity of processing plants was only 8,073 tonne.