Polluting River Myntdu in any forms will attract fines of Rs.5000

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 25, 2022

The District Magistrate West Jaintia Hills District has prohibited the burning, throwing, burying of waste, use of stream or well for disposal of polluting matter, etc. along the catchment tributaries of Myntdu River etc

The prohibitory order is issued as per prevalent environmental laws and regulations of the country.

According to the order, Rule 4 Sub Rule 2 of Solid Waste Management Rates, 2016 prohibited waste generators from throwing, burning or burying the solid waste generated by him, on streets, open public spaces or in the drain or water bodies.

Secondly, Rule15 (G) of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 directed the waste generators not to littered i.e throw or dispose of any waste such as paper, water bottles, liquor bottles, soft drink canes, tetra packs, fruit peel wrappers, etc, or burn or burry waste on streets, open public spaces, drains, water bodies and to segregate the waste at source as prescribed under these rules and hand over the aggregated waste to the authorized waste pickers or waste collectors authorized by the local body

Thirdly, Rule 15 (K) of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 directed the street sweepers not to burn tree leaves collected from street sweeping and store them separately and handover to the waste collectors or agency authorized by local body

The Hon ble National Green Tribunal (NGT, in its Judgment pronounced on 22 December, 2016 page No 87 in the matter of Mrs. Almitra H. Patel and Capt J.S Velu Vs Union of India, and Others in the Original Application No. 199 of 2014 prohibited open burning of waste on lands, including landfill sites.

 Any violator shall be liable to pay environmental compensation of Rs. 5,000 (Rupees Five Thousand)  only in case of simple burning, while Rs. 25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand) only in case of bulk waste burning.

The Environmental compensation shall be recovered as arrears of land revenue by the competent authority in accordance with law.

Section 24  1 (a) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 prohibit on use of stream or well for disposal of polluting matter, ete subject to the provision of this section that no person shall knowingly cause or permit any poisonous, noxious or polluting matter determined in accordance with

such standards as may be laid down by the State Board to enter (whether directly or indirectly) into any 3 (Stream or well or sewer or on land).

Section 24 1 (b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 prohibits on use of stream or well for disposal of polluting matters, to impede the proper flow of the water of the stream in a manner leading or likely to lead to a substantial aggravation of pollution due to other cause or of its consequences.