Fined for unscientific garbage dumping, MC to spend Rs 7.14 cr on waste management

The unscientific dumping of waste over a piece of land in Aurangabad village cost the Municipal Corporation (MC) of Yamunanagar-Jagadhri dear as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a fine of Rs 7.14 crore on it.

Now, the MC has chalked out a plan to strengthen the solid waste management system.

Sumit Saini, a resident of Damla village of the district, had filed a complaint with the NGT in 2022, alleging that the dumping of municipal waste was causing serious environmental problems in the area.

Taking a serious note of his complaint, the NGT formed a committee on May 24, 2022, which visited this temporary landfill dumping site at Aurangabad village on July 27 that year.

The committee found that the site had not been developed as per Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2016, and the MC had started unscientific and illegal dumping of solid waste there.

However, soon after his joining as Municipal Commissioner, Yamunanagar, Ayush Sinha took this issue seriously and asked the authorities concerned to stop throwing solid waste on the said temporary dumping site in 2022 itself.

Later, the NGT passed an order on February 21, 2023, asking the authorities of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to initiate proceedings for the imposition of environmental compensation on the MC.

Virender Singh Punia, Regional Officer of the HSPCB, said that an amount of Rs 7.14 crore had been imposed on the MC in 2023 and now, this amount would be used for strengthening the solid waste management plant situated in Kail village and for other works related to environment protection such as plantation.

He said in November, the authorities of the HSPCB and MC held a meeting to discuss where this amount should be utilised.

He added that after holding the meeting, they visited the site of the plant in Kail village so that a plan to strengthen the solid waste system here could be prepared.

“Now, the MC will prepare a plan of works to be undertaken by spending this amount. They will give us their plan and we will send their plan to the higher authorities of the government for approval,” said Punia.

The efforts of Sumit Saini proved successful and residents of Aurangabad and some other neighbouring villages got rid of the foul smell emanating from the said site.

“The MC authorities had to shift the dumping site of Aurangabad village to another place. Taking action on the order of NGT, the HSPCB imposed a fine of Rs 7.14 crore on the MC,” said Saini.

“Now, I have filed a petition in the Supreme Court requesting action against officers, who are responsible for causing harm to environment, in connection with this case,” he said.