The Local Self-Government Department (LSGD) has suggested amendments to the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act and the Kerala Municipality Act to fix responsibility on the council of each local body and its chairman for non-compliance with the Solid Waste Management Rules (SWM), 2016.
The proposal came up for discussion at a recent meeting convened by Chief Secretary Vishwas Mehta to discuss action to be taken on the orders of the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for timely compliance with the SWM Rules.
The tribunal had on September 16 warned that it might consider detention in prison of those violating its orders till compliance. “This course of action may have to be considered even against the highest erring officers, if the default continues,” it had said. The Bench had asked the Chief Secretary to inform the erring officials that they would not be entitled to draw their salaries from a specified date till compliance with the rules.
The meeting observed that the secretaries of local bodies did not have delegation and were required to get the approval of the municipal council or chairman, even though they were entitled to fulfil their responsibilities in accordance with the SWM Rules, 2016. “Any delay or non-performance on the part of the municipal council would eventually reflect as the non-performance of the secretary. In this context, it was informed that amendments are to be made in the Panchayati Raj Act and Rules and the Municipality Act and Rules of the State to fix the responsibilities on the council and chairman for non-implementation of the SWM Rules, 2016,” said the minutes of the meeting.
The LSGD will direct the local bodies to submit annual reports specifying the progress made in the implementation of the SWM Rules, 2016 before it and the State Pollution Control Board. The government will inform the tribunal that it has initiated steps for solid waste management under mission mode through agencies like Suchitwa Mission and Clean Kerala Company. The LSGD will have to ensure that the deadlines for the various solid waste management projects are met without failure.
