DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Haryana Chief Secretary T V S N Prasad said Wednesday the state government has declared a municipal solid waste exigency in Gurugram. Prasad, who is also the chairman of the Executive Committee of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), said in a statement the exigency was declared under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

"Due to the alarming levels of untreated waste in Gurugram that are adversely affecting the environment and public health, the state government has declared a municipal solid waste exigency in Gurugram under Section 22 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

"In order to address the critical waste management issues, SWEEP (Solid Waste Environment Exigency Programme) has been initiated," he said.

Prasad said the SWEEP programme, spearheaded by a high-level committee, including the divisional commissioner, deputy commissioner, municipal commissioner, the chief engineer of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), and a senior environmental engineer of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board, and the deputy commissioner of police, aims to overhaul waste management in Gurugram. The chief secretary said the committee is tasked with implementing a three-tier system for waste collection, segregation, transportation, processing and disposal across all 35 wards of Gurugram and GMDA areas.

Additional measures include establishing a 24x7 control room with a dedicated helpline for active monitoring, conducting a gap analysis of existing infrastructure, creating a GIS-based map for waste tracking and developing a robust grievance redressal mechanism, he said.

The programme also focuses on managing construction and demolition waste, ensuring adequate machinery for waste processing, instituting cleanliness awards and launching an Information, Education and Communication (IEC) plan to raise awareness.

Daily reports will be submitted to the State Disaster Management Authority, and any violations of the order will be met with punitive measures as per relevant laws.

The SWEEP initiative will eventually be extended to other municipal areas in Haryana, demonstrating the government's commitment to environmental preservation and public health, the statement said.

The move comes in response to the Supreme Court's May 13 order and the National Green Tribunal's observations which emphasized the urgent need for a cleaner environment as a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution.
(editor@dailyworld.in)