PCB notice to govt depts over garbage dumping

Ravinder Sood
PALAMPUR, October 7

The State Pollution Control Board and Environment Department today served show cause notices on half a dozen government departments and two panchayats on the issue of large-scale dumping of garbage in Bindravan forest near Palampur.

Executive Engineer, PCB, told The Tribune that action had been initiated following complaints made by the local residents and news reports appearing in the media pertaining to the large-scale dumping of garbage, human waste and animal carcasses in green forest and water channel passing through Bindravan forest. There was every possibility of breaking out of an epidemic.

The Executive Engineer said that he visited the spot along with his team and witnessed dumping of tons of garbage in forest and water channel passing through the forest by poultry breeders. He termed it a serious matter and assured action against the culprits. He said the matter was under investigation. The PCB was also seeking the help of local residents and other state departments.

He said the garbage was not dumped in a day or month, but it was being dumped for the past one or two years. However, the local panchayats remained unconcerned with the situation and allowed the dumping of garbage in the water channel, Bindravan and Kulkharkar panchayats.