Delhi to soon get new environmental damage compensation penalty for e-waste violations: DPCC to NGT

New Delhi
Delhi is set to get a new environmental damage compensation (EDC) policy for e-waste management, according to a submission made by the Delhi Pollution Control Board (DPCC) to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which stated that the policy was being formulated and will soon be notified.
In the submission, DPCC said the policy will define the penalty that can be imposed on violators for improper disposal or management of e-waste.
Further, it submitted that drives against the informal sector were ongoing, with the latest drive held in July, under which action was taken against 132 units in old Seelampur, Kanti Nagar and Mustafabad in east Delhi.
“The Central Pollution Control Board is under process to notify an EDC policy with respective to the E Waste Rules, 2022. As and when it will be notified, same will be implemented in toto,” DPCC said in its submission.
In addition to the 132 units where electricity was disconnected in July, DPCC said another seven defaulting units were penalised ₹20,000 each as EDC in other parts of the city, adding that the new EDC policy will make penalties uniform.
NGT in March sought details from different states on mechanisms in place to handle and properly dispose of e-waste.
“DPCC may continue further efforts in coordination with the authorities concerned, including Delhi Police and East Delhi Municipal Corporation. It is not enough for DPCC to be content by simply giving directions to other statutory authorities instead of coordinating with them to ensure compliance. Dismantlers and recyclers may be located in the conforming areas and provided with proper infrastructure facilities,” NGT said in March.
At present, DPCC said Delhi has 942 producers of e-waste, who are registered and authorised with the state’s e-waste portal. These producers are regularly inspected for the correct disposal of waste.
The submission said that further, there were three e-waste refurbishers authorised by the Delhi government, the latest of which was given a certificate in April. The three can handle 6.58 metric tonnes of e-waste per day. In addition, Delhi has nine registered e-waste dismantlers, who can handle 8.97 metric tonnes of e-waste per day.
DPCC said it is working to increase the number of refurbishers and dismantlers too, to increase the overall capacity to handle e-waste in Delhi.