The National Green Tribuna (NGT)l- Yearly Round Up 2021

Scientific Disposal of Bio-Medical Waste arising out of COVID-19 treatment The issue for consideration in this matter was the remedial action to address the gaps in compliance of the BMW Rules, 2016, as applicable to the disposal of bio-medical waste arising out of handling of COVID-19 disease, so as to ensure protection of environment and public health, in view of potential of such infectious waste adversely affecting public health, concerned workers and professionals etc. Disposal of COVID-19 waste in general bins so as to be part of municipal waste or unscientific handling sewage and other liquid waste without safeguards can be hazardous. Need was felt to incorporate best practices apart from continued supervision and monitoring, compiling data in an online format, use of electronic /digital manifest system to track and log COVID-19 waste from all sources, preventing its accidental spillage, analyzing the data for strategic planning and the feedback by creating necessary software, to the extent viable. The Tribunal got guidelines prepared by the CPCB for scientific disposal of covid related waste and issued directions to the Chief Secretary of States/UTs to ensure implementation of these guidelines. At the national level, a high level task team of Ministry of MoEF&CC, Health UD, Jal Shakti, Defence and CPCB was constituted to supervise the handling and scientific disposal of COVID-19 waste in accordance with the guidelines. State Departments of Environment and PCBs/PCCs was directed to ensure compliance of Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016 and furnish action take report to CPCB and CPCB as directed to take further steps and furnish a consolidated report to this Tribunal of the steps taken and the ground status. The Tribunal further issued detailed directions for BMW management in light of observation that 615 TPD waste was generated and only 541 TPD treated. Directions were also issued for ensuring proper functioning of facilities, proper EC and preventing pilferage of waste. (Case: In Re: Scientific Disposal of Bio-Medical Waste arising out of COVID-19 treatment- Compliance of BMW Rules, 2016, Original Application No. 72/2020Order dated 18.01.2021) Air Pollution in Non- Attainment Cities NGT dealt with the subject of remedial measures to be adopted to enforce the Ambient Air Quality Standards with reference to provisions of the Air Act and Environment Protection Act in cities classified as non-attainment cities based on monitoring of ambient air quality. The Tribunal observed that the major problem was remediation of legacy waste dump sites in the country, releasing emissions in the ambient air and also causing incidents of fire, further polluting the environment. Accordingly, the Tribunal directed bio-remediation of such dump sites. The Tribunal also directed development of Emergency Response System to be placed in public domain. The Tribunal directed for installation of Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations at remaining 175 stations within six months which would monitor the air quality on all 12 notified parameters under the Air Act. Carrying Capacity and Source Apportionment studies were directed to be undertaken by the State PCBs/PCCs, utilizing the 'consent mechanism'/ 'environmental compensation' fund. The States were directed to take further steps to set up and operate PGRPs expeditiously, within three months. Direction was passed to prepare actions plans for the newly added non-attainment cities. The Tribunal dealt issues of operation of Stone crushers, hot mix plants and Brick kilns in accordance with Carrying Capacity (CC) in; OA 1016/19 order dated 17.2.2021, OA 253/21 order dated 26.11.2021, OA 607/18 order dated 25.10.2021, OA 667/18 order dated 15.11.2021, OA 262/20 order dated 10.11.2021 and OA 19/21 order dated 9.9.2021. In the aforesaid matters, the Tribunal directed to closing down the industries which were in violation of standards, not sited properly and operating beyond carrying capacity. In order to rationalize the development and considering geographic climatic pattern with background levels, Tribunal directed CPCB to study the associated issues and come out with suggestions. (Case: News item published in "The Times of India" authored by Shri Vishwa Mohan titled "NCAP with multiple timelines to clean air in 102 cities to be released around August 15", Original Application No. 681/2018; order dated 08.04.2021) Remedial action for 351 polluted river stretches in India The proceedings for cleaning of 351 polluted river stretches were first initiated on the basis of a news item in 'The Hindu' under the heading "More river stretches are now critically polluted" authored by Jacob Koshy which stated that 351 polluted river stretches have been identified by the Central Pollution Control Board as being critically polluted. The Tribunal had earlier passed directions...

The National Green Tribuna (NGT)l- Yearly Round Up 2021

Ranu Purohit

Tags