Solan MC defies NGT order on waste disposal, gets notice

Tribune News Service

Ambika Sharma

Solan, March 15

The Municipal Corporation (MC) has failed to implement the directions issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to ensure timely disposal of the legacy solid waste, piled up for years, as well as the fresh solid waste.

Firm directed to finish work by march-end

The work to dispose of the piled up legacy waste was underway. Of the 65,000 tonnes of waste, 46,000 tonnes have been disposed of. The private company engaged in the task has been directed to complete the work by March-end, though its contract ends on May 14.Rs Usha Sharma, Mayor, Solan

The “tardy” pace of processing and disposal of legacy waste has become a cause for concern for residents living near the dumping site at Salogra on the Solan-Kandaghat section of the NH-5.

The civic body had hired a contractor in December 2022 to process the legacy waste, which has been dumped here for several years. The contractor was supposed to ensure its scientific disposal after processing the legacy waste, along with the disposal of fresh solid waste collected from areas falling under the MC in a time-bound manner.

This dump site has been functional for past over 40 years. The gap in dumping, segregation and scientific disposal of waste has led to scattering of garbage at the site, causing a foul smell in the area. The State Pollution Control Board had also imposed an environmental compensation of Rs 5.55 lakh on the MC in the past few years for failing to adhere to the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Despite this, a few lessons have been learnt in complying with the directions.

Officials of the State Pollution Control Board had inspected the Salogra-based waste disposal facility on the Solan-Kandaghat National Highway a few days ago, where they found a slew of violations such as mixing of solid waste, damaged boundary point at the leachate point as well as the entry gate. They also found dust inside the entry gate due to the damaged road. Even stray animals were found roaming in the waste.

“Despite serving several notices in the past, the MC was found persistently violating the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and Environment Protection Act, 1986, as well as the Solid Waste Management Rules,” said Pradeep Moudgil, Regional Officer, State Pollution Control Board, Parwanoo, in a fresh notice issued on March 7.

“These persistent violations attract action under the Air and Water Act, besides a penalty of Rs 10,000 as well as imprisonment up to six years. The civic body has been given an opportunity to comply with the directions and provide a proper boundary wall around the site, segregate the mixed waste, undertake metalling of the road inside waste processing area and near entry gate timely,” added Moudgil. The MC has also been directed to ensure that scavengers and stray animals did not enter the premises and submit a report on quantum of waste generated, handled, segregated and treated, along with its disposal. The MC will also have to submit an action plan to cover the shed and waste storage area to avoid its mixing with rainwater as it aggravates the scenario, leading to leachate of the waste into a water body lying below.

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#Environment #National Green Tribunal NGT #Pollution #Solan