Lack of adequate dumping sites hampers work

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, December 18

The unavailability of adequate dumping sites has become a headache for four-laning projects being executed on the National Highway-22 from Parwanoo to Kaithlighat.

Since the muck generated by the projects is colossal, dumping sites are required for their disposal.

The unavailability of sites has created several issues for the company executing the work on the Parwanoo-Solan stretch.

Several notices have been issued by officials of the State Pollution Control Board to the company for dumping muck in undesignated sites as it causes pollution.

Though the work to identify the sites began soon after the four-laning work had been started in 2015, finding dumping sites was a Herculean task for the authorities.

Nine dumping sites had been identified on the 39-km stretch by officials of the Forest Department. Since it involved diversion of the forest land for a non-forestry purpose, the case was sent to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change for seeking the clearance, said DFO RS Jaswal.

The final clearance is yet to be received though 64 per cent of the work has been completed.

Forest officials have identified 15 sites on the Solan-Kaithlighat stretch.

DFO RS Jaswal said of the 15 sites, 10 were located on the government land while five on a private land. These sites would be examined by various authorities and its case be sent to the ministry.

He said since the process was in its preliminary stage, some sites could be added or deleted.

Since the axing of trees was under way, officials said they would speed up clearance for the dumping sites so that the work did not suffer.

Clearance awaited

• Since the muck generated by the projects is colossal, dumping sites are required for their disposal. 
• Nine dumping sites had been identified on the 39-km stretch by the Forest Department
•  Since it involved the diversion of the forest land for a non-forestry purpose, the case was sent to the Ministry of Environment for seeking the clearance
• The clearance is yet to be received.