The monitoring committee of the National Green Tribunal directed the municipal corporation (MC) to submit ₹5 lakh to the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) for failure to dispose of its legacy waste. The amount will be encashed after six months if the civic body fails to start disposing of the legacy waste.
The failure of the MC in dealing with over 16 lakh tonnes of accumulated garbage at the main dumpsite situated at Tajpur Road is taking a toll on the residents here. Citing groundwater contamination in the 2km area surrounding the landfill site, the monitoring committee also ordered a ban on further construction of colonies there.
A virtual meeting of the monitoring committee headed by chairman Justice (retd) Jasbir Singh was held on Friday.
While the civic body was directed to provide alternate sources of potable water to the residents already residing in these areas, the PPCB was directed to seek environmental compensation from MC for its failure to deal with the legacy waste. Further, the civic body was directed to commence the operations of the construction and demolition waste plant in the city within three months, failing which, it’ll have to pay a penalty of ₹2 lakh.
PPCB senior environmental engineer Sandeep Bahl said that the PPCB had collected groundwater samples in the past and had found that the water in the area was contaminated. Environmental compensation will be sought from MC as directed by the monitoring committee, he added.
{{/usCountry}}PPCB senior environmental engineer Sandeep Bahl said that the PPCB had collected groundwater samples in the past and had found that the water in the area was contaminated. Environmental compensation will be sought from MC as directed by the monitoring committee, he added.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal said that the civic body has already initiated the process to deal with legacy waste and 5 lakh tonnes of garbage will be disposed of in the first phase of the project which is being taken up under the Smart City Mission.
“We are working on establishing the construction and demolition waste plant and achieving the target of 100% waste segregation in the city. We will take required steps to stop further construction of colonies in the area and provide potable water to the residents as ordered by the monitoring committee,” said Sabharwal.