"Horrible": SC expresses grave concern about generation of 3,800 tonnes solid waste going untreated in Delhi

New Delhi [India], May 13 : The Supreme Court on Monday expressed grave concern on Monday about the generation of 3,800 tonnes of untreated solid waste every day in the national capital and said it directly affects the fundamental right of the citizens under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution to live in a pollution-free environment.
Terming the situation where 3,800 tonnes of solid waste in Delhi go untreated every day as "horrible", a bench of Justices AS Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said immediate measures should be undertaken to ensure that the quantity of untreated solid waste does not increase till proper facilities are put in place to treat them.
"We may add here that the generation of untreated solid waste in such huge quantities directly affects the fundamental rights of the citizens under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution to live in a pollution-free environment," said the bench.
The apex court said that this is a vital issue for the capital and that it should travel beyond politics.
"We are worried about this, what the whole world will say, in the capital city of India, 3,800 tonnes of waste are untreated every day as of 2024. What will happen in 2025?," remarked Justice Oka during the hearing.
As senior advocate Maneka Guruswamy, representing the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), informed the bench that only by June 2027 will a facility to deal with the excessive quantity of 3,800 tonnes of solid waste come up, the apex court raised concerns that in three years, this waste will increase from 3,800 tonnes.
The top court observed that considering the development work that was taking place in Delhi and the surrounding areas, it was obvious that solid waste would increase.
It directed the secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs of the Government of India to convene a meeting of all authorities concerned to find a solution and place it before the apex court.
"In the event the authorities fail to come up with any concrete proposals, we will have to consider passing a drastic order with a view to taking care of the environment in the capital city of Delhi and surrounding areas," it said.
The apex court directed that a report be prepared by the secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and placed before the court by July 19. The bench has now posted the matter for her aunt on July 26.
"We hope and trust that all the authorities will take the issue with great seriousness, as the prima facie impression that we gather is that none of the authorities have bothered to consider the drastic consequences of not having adequate capacity to deal with solid waste generated every day," said the bench.
The bench noted it was an admitted position by all concerned that within the limits of the MCD, every day 3,800 tonnes of solid waste were generated, which cannot be treated as the existing plants do not have the capacity to treat them.
On the last date of hearing, the bench said that it was "shocking" that 3,000 tonnes of the 11,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste generated in Delhi every day were not processed.