AI Structured Summary
Not yet generated for this judgment
Judgment
Pursuant to the previous order, the Jowai Municipal Board has filed a report.
Such report refers to an office order issued by the Municipal Board on January 30, 2023, detailing a schedule of the localities, the personnel responsible and the vehicle numbers which would collect wet waste and dry waste from the various localities in Jowai at specified times.
The list appears to be comprehensive. However, it is submitted on behalf of the petitioner that though the schedule appears to be in order, the problem is in its actual implementation.
It may be recalled that a waste-management plant is under construction and it is expected that the same would be completed in the next 12 months. Keeping such fact in mind, the Jowai Municipal Board was requested to ensure that the garbage is cleared on a regular basis even during the interregnum and before the plant is operational. It is in pursuance of such observation of the Court that the office order dated January 30, 2023 appears to have been passed.
It is understandable that since the ultimate destination of the waste collected now may be somewhat fluid, there may be a disinclination on the part of the Municipal Board to collect the same or follow the declared schedule in right earnest. However, the Municipal Board is reminded that dry waste and wet waste have to be cleared in a timely manner and it is the duty of a municipal body to ensure the same. Whatever may be the steps necessary for such purpose, the Municipal Board will ensure that the schedule indicated in the office order of January 30, 2023 is strictly adhered to, if not bettered. For such purpose, the State may aid the Municipal Board and the State may appoint its own personnel to ensure that the schedule indicated in the office order of January 30, 2023 is being adhered to.
The Municipal Board should also contemplate public announcements being made in the individual localities to ensure that the vehicles visiting such localities are used by the locals for dumping the waste. The exact timings when the vehicle would be parked at a particular place must be indicated and sufficient notice should be given to the locals, preferably, by blowing whistles or the like, to indicate that the vehicle has arrived or the vehicle is about to leave.
It is not for a Court to go into the details of the programme of collecting waste or the disposal thereof. However, considering the plight of the residents of the rather large town that Jowai is and since the piling up of garbage, whether at home, in markets or other public places, will ultimately lead to a health hazard, the Board and the State are requested to take effective measures.
The matter will appear three weeks hence for the Board and the State to report whether a proper schedule has been put in place and is being implemented till such time that the waste-management plant becomes operational.
List on March 16, 2023.