Uttarakhand : High Court ‘punishment’ to Forest Secretary and all DFOs of the state, fined Rs 10-10 thousand

The High Court has taken a big action today. The court has imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each on all the DFOs of the state. This action has been taken on the non-uploading of maps of gram panchayats and for the non-uploading of plastic waste disposal in the state. The court has also personally summoned the Kumaon-Garhwal commissioner along with Secretary Environment, Member Secretary Pollution Control Board on December 15.

Asked- why contempt action should not be taken

The court said that for not following the orders, it has asked why contempt action should not be taken against you. The court imposed a fine of ten thousand each on all the divisional forest officers of the state for not complying with the order and for not presenting any affidavit on behalf of the DFO and Secretary Forest in the court. The amount of the fine will have to be deposited in the State Legal Services Authority. The list of all the Divisional Forest Officers has also been asked to be presented in the court. On Thursday, a division bench of Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Ramesh Chandra Khulbe issued strict guidelines in this matter. The court gave these instructions

The court has given strict instructions to hotel, malls and party lawn businessmen to recycle their own waste and take it to the plant. Secretary Urban Development and Director Panchayati Raj should implement this and present the report in the court. The Principal Secretary, along with the PCB, will have to present a report after assessing the items packed in plastic coming to the state. All the District Magistrates will make a list and tell how many plastic packaging items are coming in their district.

These orders were not followed

The court had asked all the DFOs to dispose of the garbage up to the village level, upload maps of gram panchayats etc. on the portal, which has not been done so far. The companies selling plastic items were instructed to collect their garbage themselves within 15 days or instead of giving compensation to Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, Nagar Panchayats and others for lifting it, they should be banned. , which has not been done till date, while the Court itself is monitoring the matter. The court has also issued an e-mail ID for complaints, so far the complaints lodged have not been resolved. this was the petition

Jitendra Yadav, a resident of Almora Havalbagh, has filed a PIL saying that the state government had made rules for the use and disposal of plastic made in 2013, but the rules are not being followed. In 2018, the Central Government made Plastic Waste Management Rules, in which the producers, transporters and sellers were given the responsibility to take back empty plastic as much as they sell plastic manufactured goods. If they are not taken, then the concerned municipal corporation, municipality and other funds will be given so that they can be disposed of, but it is being violated in Uttarakhand. There are heaps of plastic in the hilly areas and it is not being disposed of.