The High Court of Karnataka on Friday set a one-month deadline for the State government to examine the draft Solid Waste Management (SWM) Bylaws of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and take a decision on approving the draft for notifying it in the gazette to invite suggestions and objections from the public.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Mohammad Nawaz issued the direction after the BBMP counsel informed that the civic body submitted the draft bylaws to the government about 10 days ago.
Pointing out that there has been delay of more than two years in framing the SWM bylaws as per the mandate of the SMW Rules, 2016, notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, the Bench said the government had to take necessary action immediately.
Meanwhile, the Bench directed the BBMP to submit the data of monthly generation of waste in the city for the past three years and the number of solid waste processing facilities set up in terms of the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000, and the capacities of such facilities for processing waste. The BBMP was also directed to submit the particulars of the manner in which the waste was processed.
The Bench also directed the BBMP to submit a report on steps taken to set up waste processing units, etc. as per the Rule 22 of the SWM Rules, 2016 while directing the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board to submit a report on actions taken by it to enforce the provisions of the rules as per the mandate of the Rule 16(a) and whether the board has reviewed the enforcement of the provisions of the rules by the BBMP.
Published - September 07, 2019 01:19 am IST
