The Uttarakhand high court on Tuesday directed the district magistrate, Dehradun, to ensure that the city is garbage-free in another 48 hours. It should be done in collaboration with the Mukhya Nagar Adhikari, Municipal Corporation, Dehradun, the court said.
The city must be cleaned in the morning as well as in the evening, the court said. A division bench of acting chief justice Rajiv Sharma and justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari issued the directions while responding to a public interest litigation (PIL).
These directions were issued by the court after Siddhartha Bhatia, counsel for the petitioner, submitted copies of photographs taken on Tuesday morning, which showed garbage lying on the streets of Dehradun city (Kanwali area) despite the court’s earlier order on September 7.
On September 7, the high court had directed district magistrate, Dehradun, to ensure the removal of garbage from Dehradun city, especially near school buildings and hospitals within 24 hours in collaboration with the Dehradun Municipal Corporation.
It had also ruled that “in case the garbage is not removed within 48 hours, we will not hesitate to order initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the Mukhya Nagar Adhikari, Municipal Corporation, Dehradun, for not discharging his statutory duties, as per the UP Municipal Corporation Act, 1959 as well as Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.”
{{/usCountry}}It had also ruled that “in case the garbage is not removed within 48 hours, we will not hesitate to order initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the Mukhya Nagar Adhikari, Municipal Corporation, Dehradun, for not discharging his statutory duties, as per the UP Municipal Corporation Act, 1959 as well as Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.”
{{/usCountry}}The district magistrate Dehradun through his letter apprised the high court that 244 tonnes of garbage was removed by deploying 45 trolleys and 48 dumpers.
“Additional 21 trolleys were also engaged for the removal of garbage. The drive continued at night as well and the violators were challaned,” the letter said. The high court appreciated the “sincere efforts made by the district magistrate, Dehradun, and Municipal Corporation, Dehradun, to keep Dehradun city garbage-free”.