In 1997, the Research Foundation for Science Technology and Natural Resource Policy filed a writ petition before the Supreme Court, arguing that Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution were being violated since hazardous wastes were not being managed in consonance with the Basel Convention, ratified by India in 1992. In response, in October 2003, the Court constituted a Monitoring Committee (SCMC), comprising of all members of a Standing Committee set up by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, with the addition of two more experts from an earlier High Powered Committee set up by the Court itself. This SCMC was mandated to oversee that “the directions of the Court are implemented timely”.

In Delhi, a group of individuals and organizations (including the Hazards Centre, and later called the Dilli Suraksha Samiti, or DSS), concerned at the absence of a vision of an integrated waste management system, conducted a rapid survey of the industrial areas in the city and brought out a report on the scandalous state of hazardous waste mis-management in these areas. This report, highlighting the complete failure of the Delhi Government agencies, was submitted before the SCMC in June 2004. The SCMC conducted its own investigations and took the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and the Delhi Government severely to task. The Delhi Government, in turn, ordered that 1,777 “hazardous industrial units” in Wazirpur, Nangloi, and Mangolpuri be sealed within 24 hours!

Appalled by this classic example of passing the buck, and the possibility of 20,000 workers losing their jobs, the DSS protested strongly to the SCMC, and the SCMC set up a Delhi-based Supervisory Group (SG) in August 2004. The SG included the Hazards Centre and was entrusted with the task of supervising the performance of the Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP) being set up in ten industrial areas. The SG functioned for six months and was able to identify several critical flaws in the design of the CETPs and their actual operation. As periodic reports were submitted to the SCMC, the Delhi Government raised a technical objection and the responsibility for supervising the CETPs was transferred to the Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority – also known as the Bhure Lal Committee.

Once again the DSS sent a strong note of protest to the SCMC. Consequently, the Local Area Environment Committee (LAEC) was set up by the SCMC in March 2005. Hazards Centre was appointed as the Chair of the LAEC and was able to influence the agenda to focus on an integrated perspective on waste management, including aspects of the capacity of industry and conjoint systems of reduction, primary treatment, transportation, and final disposal of hazardous waste. The LAEC has been able to touch upon all these aspects during its brief tenure.

Of particular importance has been the issue of final disposal. The DPCC misinformed the LAEC about the location of the site and proceeded to order the construction of a “temporary” site at Wazirpur. After perusing the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of the proposed sites, through DSS, Hazards Centre was able to inform the local Ashok Vihar Residents Welfare Association, who then vehemently protested to the SCMC. The SCMC conducted an investigation and ordered the immediate closure of the temporary site, meanwhile passing severe strictures against the Delhi Government. Currently the LAEC is attempting to create an environment amongst the industrialists for putting in place waste minimization techniques, which will eventually benefit the industries as well as the workers.