Panel flags illegal dumping of waste at Bhagtanwala

The District Pollution Control Committee has written to the Deputy Commissioner and the Municipal Corporation, urging compliance with the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2000. The committee has raised concerns about the continued dumping of municipal solid waste (MSW) at the Bhagtanwala site without the required No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB).

The committee's president, PS Bhatty, personally met with the Deputy Commissioner, Municipal Commissioner and submitted a memorandum. He has also written to the Chief Minister of Punjab, the Secretary of the Local Government Department, and the Chairperson of the Punjab State Pollution Control Board.

According to the committee, dumping began at Bhagtanwala in 2009 after the previous sites at Jhabal Road and Naraingarh were shut due to their proximity to the Amritsar international airport. The current dumping site is located near the food grain market, in the midst of residential areas, violating several provisions of the MSW Rules, 2000. Despite a 2013 High Court order in the case directing compliance with environmental regulations, none of the conditions have been implemented.

The committee also highlighted that both the environmental clearance granted by the State-Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SLEIAA) in 2014 and the NOC issued by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) in 2012 have expired, in 2019 and 2017, respectively. Thus, the dumping of solid waste at Bhagtanwala is now unlawful.

The committee expressed concern over the lack of accountability, attributing past inaction to frequent transfers of key district officials and political interference. "Only 300 of the 700 metric tonnes of waste generated daily reaches the dump; the rest ends up in open areas, causing pollution and health hazards," stated PS Bhatty. Office-bearers of the committee have urged the state government to identify an alternative landfill site for Amritsar and called for stability in administrative postings to ensure sustainable and lawful waste management practices.

Meanwhile, MC Commissioner Gulpreet Singh stated that the work to remove legacy waste from Bhagtanwala dumping ground is going to start soon. The issue of dumping ground would be permanently addressed within a year, he said.