NGT slaps ₹10 crore fine on Panchkula, Kalka MCs for unscientific waste dumping at Jhuriwala
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) observed that about 2.5 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste is spread over 10 acres at Panchkula, which must be remediated, apart from handling the current waste. While the Panchkula MC is to pay ₹9 crore, Kalka will have to pay ₹1 crore.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT)’s principle bench imposed a fine of ₹10 crore on the Panchkula and Kalka municipal corporations for unscientific dumping of waste on the land allotted for solid waste management project at Jhuriwala village.
While the Panchkula MC is to pay ₹9 crore, Kalka will have to pay ₹1 crore.
The Green Tribunal was disposing of an application filed by one Sanjay Kumar.
The tribunal accepted the final report submitted by the NGT joint-committee and directed action in keeping with the recommendations of the report.
It observed that about 2.5 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste is spread over 10 acres at Panchkula, which must be remediated, apart from handling the current waste.
It also ordered that contamination of water or violation of Forest and Wildlife Laws has to be stopped and for past violations, compensation has to be assessed.
The compensation amount of ₹10 crore was fixed according to the calculation of the regional officer of Haryana pollution control board on August 17, and the rate applied in other such cases i.e. Rs. 300 per metric tonnes with remaining amount to cover other violations.
“The amount may be deposited within a month with the Panchkula district magistrate to be used for restoration measures in accordance with the district environment plan, particularly to reverse the damage as found in the report,” it orders.
To execute this order, the tribunal constituted an eight-member joint committee to be headed by additional chief secretary, urban development, Haryana.
The execution will include remediation and recovering of land in question, identification of new site for setting up of adequate capacity of waste processing plant meeting the criteria as per MSW Rules, 2016. Substantial progress in the matter must be achieved within three months.
An action taken report of compliance status as on March 31, 2023, may be filed on or before April 15, 2023.
Speaker to discuss issue with Union minister
Panchkula: Taking a strict note of the Jhurriwala dumping ground, Haryana Vidhan Sabha speaker Gian Chand Gupta said he is planning to meet Union minister of environment, forest and climate change Bhupender Yadav to reach a solution.
In a statement released to the media, Gupta, who held a meeting today with the Haryana urban local bodies, district administration and municipal corporation, said he has sought a presentation within a week. He also sought a detailed report on the order of Supreme Court.
Gupta said to dispose of the garbage waste of the district, a garbage processing plant is being set up at Jhurriwala. “This plant will have the world’s best technology. It will process the garbage in the best way, and people living in nearby areas will not have to face any kind of problem,” he stated.
Gupta further said the HSVP had handed over the land to MC in 2017 and it was only after due clearances that the work was started. Because of Covid, there was a delay in processing the garbage.
