Sakina Tashrifwala
Published on: September 5, 2022 at 19:53 IST
The West Bengal government has been ordered to pay Rs. 3500 crores as penalty by the National Green Tribunal for putting the people’s health at risk by failing to handle the colossal gap in solid and liquid waste generation and treatment in the state.
The Green Bench observed that there was not much initiative undertaken by the state government of West Bengal in prioritizing solid and sewage treatment plants in urban areas.
The NGT stated that only 1268 MLD is claimed to be treated, leaving a substantial gap of 1490 MLD, out of the 2,758 million litres per day of sewage generation in urban areas and the treatment capacity of 1505.85 MLD (by building up 44 STPs).
After NGT examined state and union territory compliance with the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, as well as other environmental challenges, the directive was issued.
Even though the state budget for 2022–2023 contains an allocation of Rs. 12,818.99 crore for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, the green panel claimed that the state government does not appear to prioritise the development of sewage and solid waste management infrastructure.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel observed that health issues cannot be deferred to the long future and said it is the constitutional responsibility of the state and the local bodies to provide a pollution-free environment.
“Compliance with environmental norms on the subject of waste management has to be a high priority. Tribunal has come across cases of serious neglect and continuing damage to the environment in absence of inadequate steps for treatment of solid and liquid waste.”
“We are of the view that issues have been identified and monitored by the tribunal for a long time. It is high time that the state realises its duty to the law and to citizens and adopts further monitoring at its own level,” the bench said.
Subhas Dutta, an environmentalist, played a key role in previously alerting the NGT to various incidences of pollution. He stated that, “We are extremely happy with this order. Let the state earmark and spend some money for the people and posterity instead of spending money to buy votes.”
He hoped the state will prioritise environmental concerns going forward and promoted “judicial monitoring of the money to be spent. Otherwise, it may inflate the coffers of influential people.”