Order of the National Green Tribunal (Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata) in the matter of Nagarik Swartharaksha Sangram Parisad Vs State of Assam & Others dated 18/04/2024.

This Original Application has been filed by the Applicant-Parishad alleging rampant dumping of garbage in the entire town of Silchar without any monitoring in terms of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 thereby threatening serious health hazards to the residents of the town of Silchar. It is stated that the town of Silchar generates about 100 tons of garbage per day out of which 60 tons are dumped in Meherpur dumping ground whereas 40 tons are thrown all around the place including vacant grounds and drains. It is alleged that this has led to drains in the town Silchar being totally clogged and contaminated with garbage dumping particularly in the rainy season when the town gets submerged and is contaminated with obnoxious water.

It is also alleged that the Applicant had sent a letter to the Executive Officer, Silchar Municipal Board, regarding cleanliness drive on the N.N. Dutta Road, Silchar on February 24, 2022 to remove the garbage on the road and clean the drains in the town of Silchar but no action was taken. A further letter was sent on March 8, 2022 to the Executive Officer, Silchar Municipal Board regarding disposal of garbage but nothing has been done. Another letter was sent on March 29, 2022 to the Executive Officer, Silchar Municipal Board, to provide garbage collection buckets to the residents and shop owners of Chengcoorie Road. A further letter dated April 26, 2022 was sent to the Executive Officer, Silchar Municipal Board, to provide garbage collection buckets to the residents and shop owners of Satsang Ashram Road Market and Azad Hind Road including Chengcoorie Road but nothing has been done so far.

The court directed notice to be issued to the Assam Pollution Control Board; Central Pollution Control Board; Silchar Municipal Board among others. All the respondents have been directed to file their counter-affidavits within four weeks.