Submit waste disposal action plan in a week: NGT to Ghaziabad

Officials must identify land to dump waste, find scientific ways to get rid of it, the green tribunal said

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Ghaziabad agencies to prepare and submit an action plan within one week for scientific disposal of solid waste in the city. The directions came on a petition filed with Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) and Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation as respondents.

A petition filed in the green court says that sanitation workers dump garbage on the main roads and near residential spaces. (Sakib Ali/HT File)

The green court was hearing the petition filed by Baghpat resident Krishan Pal who had moved court in a bid to stop dumping of solid waste and garbage near the banks of Hindon river.

His counsel, Dipesh Chaudhary also submitted photos related to open garbage disposal at roadsides, colonies and other public places in Ghaziabad.

“NGT has directed GDA and municipal corporation to submit an action plan within one week about how they will acquire land for a solid waste management plant and how they will prepare the project for scientific disposal of solid waste. The action plan will include other issues like door-to-door collection, transportation and scientific disposal of solid waste,” said Nidhi Kesarwani, district magistrate, Ghaziabad.

During an earlier hearing, the tribunal had directed for personal appearances of Ghaziabad district magistrate, vice-chairman of Ghaziabad development authority and municipal commissioner. All the three officials were present before the tribunal on Wednesday.

Chaudhary said that the Ghaziabad agencies proposed a site at Galand for a solid waste management plant.

He also said that the city has no facility for scientific disposal of the nearly 850 metric tonnes of solid waste collected every day. The waste is dumped at a temporary landfill site at Pratap Vihar and can be seen spilled over roadsides and at open garbage collection centres across the city.

“During the last hearing, we submitted at least 15 photographs where solid waste and garbage was dumped outside the house of GDA secretary, municipal corporation headquarters, GDA headquarters, district hospital and other public places,” he said.

Chaudhary mentioned that the agencies, on Wednesday, said that they have got these areas cleaned. “However, the issue is more serious than cleaning the sites. There are dozens of other places where a similar situation exists,” he said.