NGT imposes Rs 25K fine on Jalandhar MC

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Jalandhar, April 4

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation (MC). Notably, the NGT had sought a reply from the Corporation on the Chugitti waste dump issue and plans to tackle solid waste management in the city.

A senior official of the MC said the NGT had sought reply before noon on March 31, but it was received by the Tribunal after 12 pm. “Due to delay in sending reply to the NGT, the fine has been imposed on the civic body,” he said.

“Ragpickers are throwing waste near Chugitti bypass which is creating problems. It is not a secondary garbage collection point,” the official said.

Recently, at least 1,500 tonnes of waste was lifted from the Chugitti dump. The MC had also announced that a fine of Rs 10,000 would be imposed on any person caught throwing garbage at the Chugitti dump. This was stated in the reply sent by the MC to the NGT.

Regarding the solid waste management in the entire city, a detailed plan to convert 100 tonnes of wet waste into biomethane amongst others was also sent to the NGT, the official said.