Staff Reporter
NAHARLAGUN, 24 Dec: The Itanagar bench of the Gauhati High Court has directed the state government, the urban development & housing (UD&H) department, the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) and the Arunachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (APSPCB) to file a preliminary affidavit on or before 7 January, 2022, indicating the steps that have been taken for management and disposal of solid waste in Itanagar and Naharlagun areas.
If for any reason the affidavit, as directed by the court, is not filed on or before the date, the court said that it would consider “directing personal appearance of the concerned officials.”
The court’s direction comes after a public interest litigation was filed over the “non-implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 by the state government.”
The petitioner requested the court to direct the IMC to ensure that the IMC garbage trucks deliver their service daily in all areas of the ICR, as well as the outskirts of the ICR.
The petitioner also pleaded with the court to direct “the state government and the UD&H department chief engineer-cum-director” to frame guidelines for proper disposal of solid waste in the state and to install an incinerator at the dumping site for disposal of non-biodegradable wastes, “which can also treat the harmful gases released while burning.”
“Itanagar Capital Region is ranked as the seventh dirtiest city (in the below 10-lakh population category). However, with the honourable court’s intervention, I see a ray of hope in days to come, and believe that the people of the twin capital will be able to live in a cleaner environment and the fundamental right to life and good health will be protected,” said advocate Madan Mili.
