NGT approves cluster approach for waste disposal in Haryana

Sedhuraman

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, March 26

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has approved Haryana’s proposal to set up 14 solid waste management centres under a centralised scheme instead of allowing each municipality to have its own disposal mechanism.

The tribunal has given the go-ahead despite stiff opposition from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) which wanted a decentralised approach for the collection, treatment and disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW).

The 5-member Principal Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar acknowledged that the proposed cluster approach would help overcome the difficulties in getting land for the MSW plants and meeting the stiff norms stipulated under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2006 and the MSW Rules 2000. Further, a centralised approach would be financially prudent, besides contributing to sustainable development.

Pointing out that land was a scarce resource in the country, the NGT said if every city and municipality of Haryana had its own plant there would be a waste disposal site after every 20-40 kilometres, posing a serious threat to the environment and ecology.

“In the rapidly developing towns and cities of Haryana, it will not be possible to comply with these (EIA and MSW Rules) restrictions if we direct decentralisation of such plants,” the NGT said accepting the contentions of Additional Advocate General Arun Bhardwaj.

The tribunal said the initiative at Karnal would be treated as a pilot project and based on its performance it would issue further directions for other clusters, particularly for waste-to-energy plants.

“We also make it clear that RDF plants established at other clusters – Yamuna Nagar and Sirsa – which are under the process of completion, should be made to perform to their optimum capacity within two weeks,” it said.

The NGT also approved the state’s move to generate power from Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) as part of solid waste management. It directed the state to complete the Karnal project without any delay and ensure optimum utilisation of the RDF plant there.

The tribunal said every effort should be made to provide a green belt of higher density at each waste handling site, using new techniques.