The Himachal Pradesh High Court has banned the dumping of any kind of waste material or debris in rivers, streams and rivulets in the state.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Virender Singh, while passing the order, observed, “It appears that not only citizens but also municipal bodies are dumping waste in rivers, streams and rivulets. This practice should be stopped forthwith.”

“Another serious issue is regarding door-to-door collection of garbage in various towns of Himachal Pradesh, including Shimla. While people try to segregate household waste but it is collected and then stuffed in a single sack without segregating wet and dry waste. This practice also needs to be stopped forthwith.”

The court directed all municipal authorities that henceforth solid and wet waste should be collected separately after segregation and thereafter transported separately by engaging specified vehicles or compartmentalised vehicles.

During the course of hearing, the court was informed that the garbage was not being collected on a day-to-day basis. The court directed all municipal bodies to ensure that wherever there was the facility of door-to-door garbage collection but waste was not lifted on a daily basis, the same shall be done at least thrice a day in a week. However, where garbage was being collected on a daily basis, the same would continue to be collected as usual.

The court clarified that the responsibility of implementing the order would be upon the Commissioner (s) of Municipal Corporations, Secretaries of Municipal Councils and Executive Officers and Secretaries of nagar panchayats. They will file their personal affidavit (s) regarding the implementation of the order by the next date of hearing.

It directed the Pollution Control Board to ensure that all the aforesaid directions are implemented in letter and in spirit and the abovementioned officers file their personal affidavits. It listed the matter for compliance on May 11.