Take pragmatic decision before setting up garbage yard, orders Madras High Court

The division bench comprising Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice N Seshasayee before whom a PIL in this regard came up said, “We direct the district Collector to consider the representation of the petitioner dated June 20, 2018 after affording him an opportunity of personal hearing and to the representatives of the village and take a pragmatic decision in the matter as expeditiously as possible.”

“Till such decision is taken by the district Collector, no steps should be taken by the authorities to establish the solid waste management garbage yard in the location concerned pursuant to the proceedings of the director of Municipal Administration dated February 22, 2018,” the bench added.

The petitioner Raj Kumar had contended that the land wherein the proposed garbage yard is adjacent to the land that serves as weekly bazaar to enable the farmers in the village to sell their produce like vegetables, fruits, flowers and allied farm products. The bazaar not only caters to the said village but also 18 other villages surrounding it.

While so, the Joint Director of Town Panchayat and the Block Development officer of Erode have proposed to construct a solid waste management garbage yard in the area, which was resisted several times by the villagers.

The plea also submitted that along with a community hall, the bore well which supplies water to the entire village is situated within 150 metres from the proposed yard and hence locating the garbage yard in the area is bound to pollute the place.