Remediation of legacy waste in Panchkula: NGT seeks fresh report

NGT was hearing a petition regarding the “unscientific dumping of waste” at two sites near the Khol-Hai-Raitan Wildlife Sanctuary in Panchkula district

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought a fresh report within eight weeks from the Panchkula municipal commissioner, after approval from the Haryana chief secretary, regarding remediation of legacy waste at two dumping sites in the district.

The NGT bench in a recent order had noted that legacy waste of 90,000 metric tonnes and 3 lakh metric tonnes was lying un-remediated at Jhuriwala village and Sector 23, Panchkula, respectively. (HT File Photo)

NGT was hearing a petition regarding the “unscientific dumping of waste” at two sites near the Khol-Hai-Raitan Wildlife Sanctuary in Panchkula district.

The tribunal had earlier called for an action-taken report, which was to include the execution of remediation measures for the existing legacy waste, from the authorities concerned with due approval from the chief secretary.

However, the NGT bench headed by chairperson justice Prakash Shrivastava said the municipal commissioner’s report, dated October 18, did not reflect whether it had the approval and it only revealed that there was no “substantial progress” to remedy the situation.

The bench, also comprising judicial member justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel, said the report was “vague in nature” and did not mention any concrete measures taken by the authorities or any executable action plan with committed timelines.

The bench in a recent order had noted that legacy waste of 90,000 metric tonnes and 3 lakh metric tonnes was lying un-remediated at Jhuriwala village and Sector 23, Panchkula, respectively.

“In view of this, we call for a fresh report,” the bench said, while posting the matter for January 9 for further proceedings. In the last hearing in May this year, the tribunal was informed that the Panchkula MC was transporting waste to Ambala.