There is no shortage of funds for the bioremediation work of legacy waste in the Panamanna trenching grounds, the Ottapalam Municipality, Kerala stated in a report submitted January 4, 2025 by the additional chief secretary.
Earlier, March 31, 2024 was the timeline fixed for the municipality to complete the disposal of legacy waste on the presumption that it would be only 3-4 metres below the ground level, NGT observed citing the Ottappalam Municipality.
But they could not comply with the timeline because the waste was found to be lying more than 7 metres below the ground level. In addition, the required special budget allocation for 2024-25 was also not sanctioned.
NGT also observed that as per the revised project report, the quantity of the waste was calculated as 20,303 tonnes and the timeline for disposal was January 31, 2025. NGT thus directed the government to sanction the amount required for the work.
The report by the additional chief secretary, Ottappalam Municipality stated that the municipality allocated funds in the annual plan in various phases to remove the legacy waste lying at the Panamanna trenching ground. In the first phase during the financial year 2021-22, Rs 70,00,000 was allocated and with the amount, 9,200 cubic metres of waste have been disposed of.
In the second phase during the financial year 2023-24, a multi-year project was undertaken for an amount of Rs 2,45,00,000 to dispose of 21,100 cubic metres of legacy waste. After completion of the work, it is estimated that 20,300 cubic metres of legacy waste remains to be removed, according to the drone survey conducted.
During the financial year 2024-25, a multi-year project has been envisaged for the disposal of 17,726 cubic metres of legacy waste, for which an amount of Rs 2,20,00,000 has been earmarked.
NGT January 2, 2025 directed notices to be issued to three authorities on the issue of protecting the habitat of the Himalayan brown bear. The animal is facing pressure from unplanned disposal and treatment of waste in the Sonmarg region of Kashmir.
The three respondents were Sonamarg Development Authority; director-general, rural sanitation, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu & Kashmir; principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), Jammu & Kashmir. They were directed to file their response by way of affidavit at least a week before the next date of hearing on April 22, 2025.
The application was registered suo-motu on the basis of a news item in India.com dated July 27, 2024.
By the order dated August 5, 2024, six respondents were impleaded and notices were issued to them.