Srinagar, Oct 09 (GNS): Jammu and Kashmir has imposed Rs 25000 costs on Rural Development Department for noncompliance to its order regarding Model Solid Waste Management
On August 17th this year, the court had directed the concerned officials to place before it the details with regard to Model Solid Waste Management Bye Laws of the local authorities including all Panchayats, Municipal Corporations , Municipal Councils, Municipal Committees, Development Authorities and local authorities in the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
“It appears that the respondents (officials) are not bothered about compliances with the orders of the Court. Even more distressing is the fact that an important issue as important as the notification of Solid Waste Management of Bye Laws is not being treated with the seriousness which it deserves,” a division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Puneet Gupta said as per Global News Service, adding, “In case after case, we are receiving complaints of the lack of any method in the management of Solid Wastes in the J&K”
Taking serious view in the matter, the court imposed costs of Rs.25,000 on the Urban Development Department which it said shall be deposited with the Advocates Welfare Fund within a period of two weeks. “Proof of costs shall be placed before the Registry of this Court.”
The court said that the details in terms of its August 17 order shall be filed before the next date of hearing in the PIL, initiated on its own motion, on October 22. “It is unfortunate that let alone implementation, we are not even being informed as to the status of the notification of the Solid Waste Management Bye Laws by the local authorities,” the court said, “We may note that insofar as the Sonamarg Development Authority is concerned, it has filed a status report informing this Court that the Solid Waste Management Bye Laws had been adopted and notified by notification dated 21st of November, 2019.”
Meanwhile, for effective disposal of the Solid Waste collected at Sonamarg, the SDA said that it has installed and commissioned one MT Electromagnetic Disintegrator Unit.
“The Sonamarg Development Authority shall also inform this Court about its method of collection of solid wastes,” the court and asked it to file the latest status report , action taken reports within two weeks. (GNS)
