Despite ban by NGT, garbage openly burnt in Panipat

Sonepat, May 5

Despite ban orders issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), garbage is being burnt in the open at night in the ‘textile city’. The AQI of the city recorded 167 on Saturday, which is moderate.

A recent video recording of burning garbage in Sector 25 ground, at the back of the Regional Office of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), has been shared by a Delhi-based environmentalist on social media platform ‘X’. He has demanded action against the perpetrators.

Panipat is globally known as the textile city as it has more than 20,000 industrial units which employ more than three lakh people. Industrial waste is being burnt in the open areas here regularly.

Varun Gulati, a Delhi-based environmentalist, said that burning of any garbage — industrial hazardous waste, municipal garbage or any other waste — is completely banned by the NGT as it is a big cause of air pollution.

Panipat is already on the list of the most polluted cities in the country, and such cases should be stopped and action should be initiated against the violators, he said.

Bhupender Chahal, Regional Officer, HSPCB, said it would be checked where the garbage was burnt and action would be initiated.