Supreme Court Declares Imminent Public Health Emergency Due to Delhi's Untreated Solid Waste Crisis

The Supreme Court warned of a potential public health emergency due to Delhi's failure to manage over 3,000 tons of untreated solid waste daily. The court criticized the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for the poorly implemented Solid Waste Management Rules and mandated urgent corrective actions.

The Supreme Court has raised alarms about a looming public health emergency stemming from Delhi's inability to manage over 3,000 tons of untreated solid waste each day.

The bench, comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih, criticized the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for its gross mismanagement and noted that the national capital generates more than 11,000 tons of solid waste daily, whereas the processing capacity stands at just 8,073 tons.

Hearing the submission from amicus curiae Aparajita Singh, the court acknowledged the gravity of the situation, citing data from Indian and international journals that attribute deaths to rising pollution levels.

Expressing serious concern, the justices noted that effective treatment facilities won't be in place until 2027, aggravating the city's waste crisis. The court instructed the Union environment ministry to convene an urgent meeting with MCD and Delhi government officials to draft immediate measures to avert further disaster.

(With inputs from agencies.)