‘You think you’re superpower, but won’t do anything’: SC slams L-G over garbage

New Delhi, July 12: The Supreme Court on Thursday slammed Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal for not taking enough effective measures to handle the garbage issue despite having powers over the municipal corporations.

"You (the Lieutenant Governor) say 'I have power, I am a Superman'. But you don't do anything,"the judges said.

"You say the corporations are answerable to you. Tell us within how much time will you clear the sites," the judges asked. "Why should the corporations be asked? You are the L-G. You should have found out by now," the bench retorted.

"You can't drag the CM into this because L-G has said he has the authority. It seems he (LG) thinks everything is honky dory," the bench told Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand who was arguing the matter.

The court's remarks come in the wake of a turf war between L-G Anil Baijal and AAP government in Delhi.

The Supreme Court had asked the Centre and the Delhi government to clarify who could be held responsible for clearing the "mountain loads of garbage" in the national capital those reporting to L-G Anil Baijal or to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

During the hearing on this issue, the court on July 10 had observed that Delhi is getting buried under mounds of garbage and Mumbai is sinking under water, but the government is doing nothing. It had also slapped fines on 10 states and two union territories for not filing their affidavits on their policies for solid waste management strategy.

"You see, Delhi is getting buried under mountain loads of garbage and Mumbai is sinking. But yet, the government does not do anything. When the courts intervene, we are attacked for judicial activism. We are given lectures on separation of powers and encroachment of jurisdiction," the apex court said earlier.