The National Green Tribunal (NGT) took Suo Motu cognizance of the matter relating to the issue of rising plastic waste in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
The Petition is registered suo-moto on the basis of the news item dated 22.04.2024.
As per the article, nearly 300 metric tonnes of plastic waste is generated in Lucknow every day. This is a fivefold jump from the 59 tonnes in 2015.
The news item states that plastic waste poses a threat to human health, depletes nutritional quality of soil and raises concerns about the long-term environmental impact.
The news item states that despite the ban on single use plastic in Lucknow, plastic is posing a serious health hazard as modernisation and consumerism disturb the environmental equilibrium.
The news item states that nearly 300 metric tonnes of plastic waste is generated by households and commercial establishments in Lucknow every day out of the total 1,500 metric tonnes of solid waste daily. In other words, plastic constitutes 20% of the daily waste in the state capital.
The article alleges that a 2015 study by CPCB revealed that soil samples from post-monsoon dumpsites were more basic (alkaline) than those from the pre-monsoon period, indicating an increase in alkalinity due to accumulated plastic waste. The high plastic content in dumped waste and low infiltration capacity of hard soil caused water logging, further degrading the soil’s quality.
As per the news item, since plastic does not biodegrade but breaks down into microparticles, it poses a serious threat to wildlife and human health. It further states that studies have linked plastic pollution to various health issues, including cancer, hormone disruption, and heart damage. Furthermore, plastic waste has been found in the blood of newborn babies, emphasizing the pervasiveness of plastic pollution in the environment.
The news item raises substantial issue relating to compliance of the environmental norms, especially the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
“Power of the Tribunal to take up the matter in suo-motu exercise of power has been recognized by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter of “Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha & Ors.” reported in 2021 SCC Online SC 897.”
Hence, the Principal Bench of Justice Prakash Shrivastava , Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Dr. Afroz Ahmad impleaded the following as respondents in the matter:
(1). Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, through its Member Secretary.
(2). Central Pollution Control Board, through its Member Secretary.
(3). Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Regional Office Lucknow, through its Deputy Director General.
(4). District Magistrate, Lucknow.
The NGT issued notice to the respondents and listed the matter on 11.09.2024.