E-Paper
Pollution control board raps PMC, seek ₹42.23 cr over waste disposal in Uruli Devachi and Phursungi garbage depots
The villagers have squarely charged the PMC for not consciously implementing solid waste management rules at the landfill site
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) in their submission before the National Green Tribunal on July 5, 2022 have demanded that the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) pay ₹42.23 crore as compensation towards causing environmental pollution at Uruli Devachi and Phursungi garbage depots.
The report stated, “A compensation of ₹42.23 should be levied on the PMC for the delay in completion of bio-remediation/bio-mining of the waste dumped at Uruli Devachi, Phursungi waste dumping sites and failure to rehabilitate them.”
The villagers have squarely charged the PMC for not consciously implementing solid waste management rules at the landfill site that resulted in adverse effects on the villagers’ health. They have been legally fighting this gross mismanagement with the help of prominent environment lawyer Asim Sarode since Jan 2017.
During the hearing of Bhagwan Laxman Bhadale , Pune Municipal Corporation Commissioner on January 6, 2022, the judge of the National Green Tribunal, Justice Adarsh Kumar Goyal (Chairperson) and other members had ordered that, The Central Pollution Control Board and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board should visit the site of the waste depot at Uruli Devachi Fursungi, collect information and prepare a report on the quantum of environmental damage done by the PMC and submit the information on how much fine to be imposed.
CPCB scientist ‘E’ regional directorate Shashikant Lokhande and MPCB sub-regional officer, Pune Pratap Jagtap prepared a report seeking to recover ₹42.23 crore which was submitted to the NGT on July 5.
Responding to the report, the PMC had requested waiver from February 2020 to January 2022 citing Covid-19 pandemic.Dumping of waste is still in progress at Phursungi and Uruli Devachi and PMC has proposed that till September 2024 it will complete the capping of the waste site.
PMC solid waste management department head Asha Raut said, “We are yet to file our say before the NGT and modalities are being worked out by our lawyer. The NGT has not given its decision yet on the case.”
Asim Sarode said, “The PMC asking for extension shows the illegality and inefficiency of the corporation and private agencies appointed by them in handling, managing the solid waste in the city. This environmental penalty has been imposed on PMC as the waste stored and accumulated at the depots is deteriorating the air quality and groundwater pollution near the depot site.The original application was filed before the National Green Tribunal in 2015 but due to wrong information submitted by PMC, an execution application was filed in 2021 before the West Zone bench of the NGT at Pune.”
The next hearing will be held on July 27, 2022, before the bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and expert member Vijay Kulkarni.
