Mon Jan 27 23:55:51 IST 2025: **Supreme Court Orders Delhi to Address Mounting Waste Crisis, Govt Vehicle Electrification**
NEW DELHI, January 28, 2025 – The Supreme Court of India issued a stern directive to the central government and National Capital Region (NCR) states on Monday, ordering them to explore the substantial conversion of government vehicles to electric models by March 17th. The court expressed serious concern over Delhi’s burgeoning waste problem, citing the city’s daily generation of approximately 3,000 tons of solid waste.
The court found both the Delhi government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in violation of the 2016 Solid Waste Management Rules. Specifically, the justices criticized the lack of compliance with Rule 4, which mandates waste segregation at source and on-site processing of biodegradable waste. The court ordered the formation of teams to ensure compliance and threatened penal action against violators. A further directive mandates adherence to Rule 15, requiring door-to-door collection of segregated waste and the formal integration of waste pickers into the system. The court urged the Delhi government to study best practices in solid waste management from other parts of India. Failure to implement these measures, the court warned, could result in drastic actions such as halting certain construction projects. Compliance reports are due by March 17th.
First Piper 