Manali MC fined Rs 4.6 cr for polluting Beas

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, June 3

Enforcing the principle of ‘polluters pay’, the NGT has imposed a penalty of Rs 4.60 crore on Manali Municipal Council for contamination of Beas through leachate discharge of untreated waste from the waste management unit plant at Rangri in Manali.

Coming down heavily on the other government agencies also, the NGT in its order of May 29, 2024 has said that this amount be spent on environmental remediation, rejuvenation and restoration of damaged environment. The court gave three months’ time to Manali MC to deposit this amount with the HP State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB).

The NGT has also said that action for criminal prosecution under Environment Protection Act 1986 be taken against District Magistrate, Kullu, Executive Officer, Manali MC, and Principal Secretary, Urban Development, within two months and compliance report shall be submitted in the next one month with Registrar General of the NGT.

Paldan Phunchog, pradhan, Shallen gram panchayat in Manali, had knocked the doors of the green court against the filth and unhygienic conditions prevailing in the area.

The NGT decision comes on the basis of the report of the NGT-constituted Joint Committee comprising HP State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB) and District Magistrate, Kullu to check violation environmental norms. On spot visit, the committee found the plant being non-operational, empty composite pits, foul smell, mixed solid waste, heaps of organic waste mixed with plastic contents stored without any further treatment and no separate compartments for collection of e-waste and domestic hazardous waste. The Joint Committee had directed immediate stopping of the flow of leachate towards the river Beas and making the compost pits functional.

During a visit by the committee to the site on January 27, 2023, the locals and school representatives had complained of regular foul smell and solid waste being littered outside the boundary of the plant. The residents also pointed out that heaps of garbage attracted dogs and stray animals who destroy crops. Even school admissions had been impacted.

The Joint Committee found untreated leachate flowing into river Beas as work for construction of leachate collection pits was in progress. To make matters worse, the installed Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) and compactor were not functional, resulting in the legacy waste spilling over the retaining wall towards the banks of river Beas. The NGT had found the report given by Joint Committee on September 14, 2023 unsatisfactory.

Filthy conditions, locals hassled

Pradhan, Shallen gram panchayat in Manali, had knocked the doors of the green court against the filth and unhygienic conditions prevailing in the area. He had pointed out that the locals were inconvenienced due to foul smell and scattered waste over two km area. There was dip in admissions in educational institutions like Saraswati Vidya Mandir, DAV School and Bodh Shiksha Sansthan being located within 15 to 100 m of this unit.