Basai C&D plant: NGT directs govt to show approval from pollution control board
The tribunal is hearing a case regarding the setting up of the plant after a petition was filed by the NGO, Delhi Bird Foundation, claiming that the plant may adversely affect the arrival of migratory birds.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday directed the Haryana government to present the No Objection Certificate (NOC), procured from the Haryana pollution control board, for the construction of a C&D plant in the Basai wetland in Gurgaon.
The document is to be produced during the next hearing, scheduled for November 16.
The tribunal is hearing a case regarding the setting up of the plant after a petition was filed by the NGO, Delhi Bird Foundation, claiming that the plant may adversely affect the arrival of migratory birds. The petition had requested the transfer of the plant to a new location.
The state government had contended that it was upon the NGT’s direction in 2015 that it had come up with four sites for the construction of the C&D plant and requested for amendments to its order.
The NGT bench refuted that claim, stating that although it had asked the government to build a plant, the bench did not have the responsibility of approving the site and, hence, will admit any objections to the site proposed by the government.
As per the C&D Management Rules, 2016, a plant cannot be near a forest, water body, wetland, sanctuary or human clusters.
The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) had given the project to IL&FS for building a C&D plant over 3.5 acres in Basai and the project was inaugurated by MCG commissioner V Umashankar on May 23. Later, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had laid the foundation stone on June 17.
Later, in June, the NGT had issued a notice to the Haryana government on the construction of the plant near Basai wetland following the filing of the petition.
“The government has not presented Form 3 (NOC from pollution control board) in the court and the NGT has directed it to submit the same at the next hearing. We are hopeful that the project will be moved to a new location so that it no longer poses a threat to birds,” Pankaj Gupta, a birder, said.
MCG officials, meanwhile, claimed that the site for the C&D plant is not near the wetland. Officials from the civic body said they will present the requisite documents before the NGT in the next hearing.
“We got the NOC from Haryana pollution control board after submitting all relevant documents and evidence. The same will be presented before the NGT in the next hearing,” Sudhir Singh Chauhan, senior town planner, MCG, said.
Timeline
February 2015: NGT orders MCG to build c&d plant.
April 29, 2015: MCG awarded tender to IL&FS for construction of C&D waste plant at Begumpur Khatola but the locals protested and location was later changed to Basai.
May 22, 2017: Project construction at Basai inaugurated by MCG commissioner V Umashankar
June 17, 2017: Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar lays a foundation stone for the project.
June 22, 2017: NGT issues notice to Haryana government, MCG, MoEF on construction of the plant at Basai wetland.
July 5, 2017: Work on the project indefinitely suspended following NGT order.
