Gurgaon, Faridabad miss waste management plan deadline

Gurgaon and Faridabad corporations have missed a crucial deadline to submit waste management plans. The Haryana Urban Local Bodies (ULB) department had asked them to provide detailed affidavits by March 17. This instruction followed a Supreme Court hearing on pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). The Supreme Court requested all cities in the Delhi-NCR to submit waste management plans by the end of March. It specifically noted that no extensions would be granted. The Union ministry of housing and urban affairs also scheduled a meeting with the corporations on March 24 to discuss their action plans. Officials from both the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) and the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF) said they are still working on their plans. They assured that the plans would be submitted to the ULB and the Supreme Court soon. However, they did not provide reasons for the delay. The ULB had required a comprehensive schedule for waste collection and management, including details about the responsible agencies. They also emphasized the importance of following the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Environmental activists have criticized the corporations for their inaction. Vaishali Rana, an activist, highlighted the officials' negligence and a lack of commitment to waste management. She pointed out that they have previously missed deadlines for clearing legacy waste and that emergency protocols had not improved the waste management situation in the city.