The National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently issued an order regarding the growing issue of legacy waste at the Brahmapuram dumpsite, operated by Kochi Corporation. Legacy waste refers to old municipal solid waste.
According to the NGT judgement, if the Chairman and Member Secretary of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) do not initiate prosecution and recover damages from those accountable for unscientific waste handling at Brahmapuram, they will be deemed liable.
Despite the urgency of this environmental situation, it was observed that the progress made in waste remediation is slow and seems to disregard the statutory and constitutional responsibility of maintaining a clean environment. The government decided to reopen open tenders after only one agency met the minimum eligibility criteria in an e-tender for biomining of legacy waste at Brahmapuram on March 20, 2020.
Concerns Surrounding Brahmapuram Dumpsite
At the Brahmapuram dumpsite, just 1% of recyclable plastic waste is recovered, while the remaining 99% finds its way into the dumping yard. Toxic leachate, a dark liquid generated within the solid waste, has been noted as a major source of pollution for the river Kadambrayar. This pollution is compounded by the regular fire outbreaks caused by the accumulated legacy waste.
In order to manage this waste better, in 2020, the government took over the task of its scientific management by invoking Section 24(e) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
The Challenge of Municipal Solid Waste Management
Managing Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) poses a serious threat to environmental protection. Despite the Solid Waste Management Rules established in 2016, their implementation remains problematic. Local authorities shoulder the responsibility of developing infrastructure for the collection, storage, segregation, transportation, processing and disposal of MSW.
The two main challenges are the management of daily flow of solid waste and addressing the legacy of negligence, resulting in garbage heaps at dumpsites that were intended for waste processing and landfills.
NGT Directive on Solid Waste Management
In July 2019, the NGT issued a directive stating that local bodies failing to comply with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, would face a hefty fine. Based on the population size, the fines range from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh per month from April 2020, until compliance is achieved. Should local bodies find themselves unable to shoulder this financial burden, state governments are expected to step in and take remedial actions.
For aiding compliance, an environment monitoring cell might be established in the offices of chief secretaries of all states/ Union Territories (UTs). The remediation process should align with the guidelines set out by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Proposed Solutions for the Future
Kochi could learn from successful cases such as the Thiruvananthapuram corporation. Despite having a larger population, they effectively manage waste using Thumboormuzhy bins, material recovery centres and a mobile application.
Carrying out thorough remediation of waste can help free up land currently occupied by waste sites. This land could potentially be used to establish biodiversity parks or buffer zones. Some parts may even be monetized.
Protecting the environment is a constitutional mandate, and immediate action is necessary to address the issue of waste management.
