NGT orders formation of panel to look into poor waste mgmt at Ludhiana’s vegetable market

The order comes in the backdrop of a petition filed by a member of NGO, Council of Engineers; he said the waste management at the Ludhiana’s vegetable market involved burning of the garbage repeatedly even after the MC notices and challans

Taking note of the continued violations norms pertaining to the disposal of organic and plastic waste at the city’s main vegetable market near the Jalandhar Bypass, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the formation of a joint panel to take stock of the situation and remedial action within two months.

Vegetable market in bad condition near Jalandhar bypass in Ludhiana. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

The order comes in the backdrop of a petition filed by Kapil Arora, a member of the Council of Engineers.

Arora, in his petition, had said the waste management at the city’s vegetable market involved burning of the garbage repeatedly even after the municipal corporation’s (MC) notices and challans. He said the market, which is a bulk producer of waste, had dumped the garbage — including biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste — into the ground after excavating the land. Mounds of organic and plastic waste have been collected from inside the market, resulting in unhygienic and unhealthy conditions, the petition added.

He highlighted the authorities’ alleged failure to prevent the burning, dumping and littering of garbage in an unscientific manner.

NGT, in its order, directed a joint committee of state pollution control board, district magistrate and the civic body to take remedial action within two months following due process of the law. The order further said the pollution control board will be the nodal agency for coordination and compliance with the same.

Laying the guidelines, the order said the committee may meet within two weeks, take stock of the situation and plan the proper course of action. It also added that the community involvement may be also explored and an action taken report may be filed before the registrar general of the tribunal through email.

The Council of Engineers members, meanwhile, said the vegetable market generates huge amount of organic and plastic waste everyday.

In September last year, the civic body slapped a fine of ₹37.55 lakh on the market committee of the city’s main vegetable market near Jalandhar Bypass for failing to dispose of waste generated on its premises. In April, the MC further imposed challans worth ₹ 50,000 on the market committee for burning garbage on the premises.

Every day, over 30,000 buyers, sellers and workers visit the market, which is central to the vegetable trade in the city and adjoining areas. There are over 1,200 authorised traders in the market and is second only to New Delhi’s Azadpur Mandi in terms of size and capacity.