HC seeks govt stand on using garbage to install power plant

New Delhi, Oct 18: The Delhi High Court has sought the Centre and the city government's stand on a plea seeking direction to install an electricity plant in the national capital from huge heaps of garbage.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath also issued notices to the agency concerned of both the Centre and Delhi taking note of the petition that there is "shortage of electricity", which is the urgent need of the public.

The court, which has fixed the matter for December 16, was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Vinod Choudhary, who contended that electricity can be produced from the garbage lying in Tehkhand village in Okhla here.

"It is submitted that four km from present site there is another garbage plant where the electricity plant of this kind has already been installed by the government in village Jasola (South Delhi) and from there electricity is being supplied to the general public and the similar kind of plant can be set up at this site from which public will be benefited and will be saved from the serious ailments.

"It is humbly submitted that electricity can be produced from this garbage in a large scale and can be supplied to the public at large which is the urgent need of public at present, keeping in view the shortage of electricity," the plea said.

The present garbage of Tehkhand can be shifted to Jasola in south Delhi, it said, adding that a public park can be constructed, so that residents of that village may "live in hygienic manner".

Advocate Sushil Kumar Jain, appearing for the petitioner, said that the public at large will get electricity and the residents of that village will be saved from serious diseases, borne out of the garbage dumped there.

"The fundamental rights of the public at large are being infringed upon and there is clear violation of Article 14 of the Constitution of India, right to life has been violated by the governments," the plea added.

PTI