Panel visits site for east Delhi waste management plant
DESPITE THE LG’S DIRECTION, THE EDMC HAS CONTINUED TO DUMP WASTE AT GHAZIPUR AS IT HAS NO OTHER PLACE TO DUMP WASTE
After repeatedly failing to procure any land for garbage disposal, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation finally found a ray of hope on Thursday after the principal committee appointed by National Green Tribunal visited the 150-acre land at Ghonda Gujran.
The EDMC has been trying hard to convince the committee to approve the land for its integrated solid waste management plant. It also gave detail presentation to the committee on Monday but could not get any concrete solution.
“Though the bench heard us patiently and acknowledged the problem, it didn’t give any assurance. It was later, on the same day, the committee members expressed desire to visit the site,” said Ranbir Singh, commissioner, East Delhi Municipal Corporation on Tuesday.
Finally on Thursday evening, the committee’s chairman Amarjit Singh, also the secretary of union ministry for water resources, visited the place, according to EDMC official.
“The panel member took a round of half of the area as it turned dark. He assured to revisit the site on Sunday morning again. He will also visit other EDMC facilities for disposing the garbage such as Ghazipur landfill and waste to energy plant,” said senior EDMC official.
According to him, during the Singh’s visit it was clarified that EDMC has no other land for establishing such a big integrated plant at one place.
“In fact in our presentation also we clarified that the plant would be developed with modern technology and all precautionary measures would be taken to ensure it will not affect the ecosystem as well as floodplains,” said the official.
Hindustan Times tried contacting Singh but he was not available for comments.
Despite the Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal’s direction to immediately stop dumping waste at Ghazipur after a part of it collapsed on September 1 killing two persons, the EDMC continued to use the place as it has no other place to dump waste.
According to other senior official, people have already started encroaching upon the site and if no timely action would be taken then it would increases with the passage of time.
“Two villages already exist here and despite allotting them land at Usampur area, people have not shifted. In fact the numbers of houses are increasing day by day as people have started encroaching over the land,” said the official.