Gurugram’s untreated waste prompts state govt to declare solid waste exigency

The alarming levels of untreated solid waste in Gurugram which is affecting the environment and public health have led the Haryana government to declare a municipal solid waste exigency.

Haryana chief secretary TVSN Prasad said that a municipal solid waste exigency in Gurugram has been declared under Section 22 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

In a June 11 order, the chief secretary said recent data on solid waste in Gurugram, “show that the efforts of the municipal corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and other entities involved in managing the municipal solid waste require impetus both in terms of resources and delivery and that there are enforcement issues that need to be addressed.”

A solid waste environment exigency program has also been initiated to address critical waste management issues.

Prasad said that the program led by a high-level committee will implement a three-tier system for waste collection, segregation, transportation, processing, and disposal across all 35 wards of Gurugram and GMDA (Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority) areas.

The move comes in response to the Supreme Court’s May 13 orders and the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) observations emphasizing the urgent need for a cleaner environment

The Supreme Court, on May 13 order, said that untreated solid waste in huge quantity destroys the environment which hampers the fundamental rights of the citizens guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution to live in a pollution-free environment.

On September 23, 2022, the NGT observed that the situation was of environmental emergency but not handled with the seriousness required.

A 24x7 control room has also been established with a dedicated helpline for active monitoring, conducting a gap analysis of existing infrastructure, creating a GIS-based map for waste tracking, and developing a robust grievance redressal mechanism.