Delhi garbage crisis serious, says SC

The Supreme Court on Monday said that Delhi was facing an "emergency situation" due to mountains of garbage as it expressed dissatisfaction over the response of authorities on waste management.

"Will there be any person alive in Delhi in such a situation?" an irked apex court said and sought details of how plans on management of solid waste could be implemented, especially on segregation of household waste.

The bench comprising justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta also sought details from authorities on a pilot project for segregation of household waste launched in some areas like Defence Colony, Green Park and Maharani Bagh here and also about the problems being faced by the agencies in its implementation.

The court fumed at Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Pinky Anand's submission on residents of Sonia Vihar objecting to a landfill site, saying the people had every right to question the decision and even went on to say that the civic body should dump the "waste on the Raj Niwas Marg", where Delhi Lieutenant Governor's official residence is located, instead of treating people like this.

It said that segregation of waste at household level was an important issue and asked the authorities to inform the apex court as to whether an awareness campaign in this regard could be started throughout the city.

"It is an emergency situation and unfortunately your reactions are not indicating any solution," the bench told the ASG.