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No construction if no solid waste management policy
Why in the news ?
- The court ordered construction activities to be stopped in some States and Union Territories that remained unmindful of the interests of their people to live in a clean environment.
More in the news
- Supreme Court said it was “pathetic” that some States and Union Territories had not bothered to frame a solid waste management policy.
- The SC Bench imposed fines on some States and the Union Territory of Chandigarh for not placing on record their respective policies under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
- Constructions in the States/Union Territories are stayed until the policy is framed.
- While Andhra Pradesh was ordered to pay Rs.5 lakh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Chandigarh were imposed costs of Rs.3 lakh each.
- The amount would have to be deposited with the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee within two weeks and would be used for juvenile justice issues.
Major highlights of the new Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016
- The new rules have mandated the source segregation of waste in order to channelise the waste to wealth by recovery, reuse and recycle.
- Waste generators would now have to now segregate waste into three streams-
-Biodegradables,
-Dry (Plastic, Paper, metal, Wood, etc.) and
-Domestic Hazardous waste (diapers, napkins, mosquito repellants, cleaning agents etc.) before handing it over to the collector.
- The brand owners who sale or market their products in packaging material which are non‐biodegradable, should put in place a system to collect back the packaging waste generated due to their production.
- Municipal authorities will levy user fees for collection, disposal and processing from bulk generators.
- As per the new rules, it has been advised that the bio-degradable waste should be processed, treated and disposed of through composting or bio-methanation within the premises.
- New Rules, 2016 emphasise promotion of waste to energy plants.
- Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change shall constitute ‘Central Monitoring Committee’ to monitor and review every year.
Source
The Hindu, Down to Earth