The National Green Tribunal (NGT) May 29, 2024 directed the Municipal Council, Manali to pay environmental compensation of Rs 4,60,55,962 for mismanagement of municipal solid waste at the municipal solid waste facility in Rangri village, Manali tehsil, Kullu district. The said amount should be paid within three months and deposited with the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB).
The environmental compensation already paid by Municipal Council, Manali or likely to be paid pursuant to notice dated January 24, 2024 should be utilised by HPSPCB for the purpose of remediation, rejuvenation and restoration of damaged environment. For this purpose, the court directed the formation of a joint committee comprising district magistrate, Kullu; member secretary, Central Pollution Control Board and member secretary, HPSPCB. The committee will prepare an environmental rejuvenation plan within two months and execute it within the next six months, NGT said in the judgment.
The court also warned that in case the municipal council continues to violate norms of handling, management and processing of municipal solid waste, HPSPCB should, on monthly basis, determine environmental compensation and recover the same till there is complete compliance with SWM Rules, 2016 on the part of the municipal council.
Paldan Phunchog, Pradhan, Gram Panchayat of Shallen, Manali in his letter petition May 25, 2022 had complained of illegal dumping of solid waste in the Gram Panchayat area. The complainant had said that the local residents of Gram Panchayat of Shallen are facing a lot of problems due to the foul smell and scattered waste lying in an area of two kilometers from the waste management unit, which has made the lives of people hell, and is also causing health hazards for them.
HPSPCB said in its report January 24, 2024 that it had conducted a site inspection of the municipal solid waste facility at Rangri village on January 3, 2024 and noted many violations. Heaps of fresh mixed waste were found lying at the site, along with a large volume of legacy waste that required to be processed scientifically. Compost pits provided at the facility were filled with mixed waste, and bio-methanation facility and bio-composter were not provided despite repeated directions by HPSPCB.
Further, the retaining wall around the heap of legacy waste towards River Beas was damaged near Gau-Sadan and waste was found overflowing towards the river due to stacking of fresh waste at the legacy waste site. Leachate collection pits had been washed away during flash floods and leachate was found to be flowing into Beas, the report added.
The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) was directed by NGT May 29, 2024 to file a fresh affidavit on the environmental compensation imposed on Jaypee Infratech Ltd for violating environmental norms in one of its projects in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
In the previous order, March 18, 2024, the tribunal had taken note of the fact that the UPPCB was required to revisit the envitonmental compensation imposed in the direction of the High Court. The counsel for UPPCB submitted that the process of revisiting the compensation is in progress and a final order will be passed soon. The case will next be heard on August 1, 2024.
The matter related to Jaypee Infratech Ltd violating environmental norms at Kensington Park 1, Phase-1, Sector - 133, Gautam Budh Nagar district. It was said that the sewer was overflowing from the man-holes and falling into the rainwater drains. The project proponent does not have a proper functional sewage treatment plant and was also causing air pollution.
The tribunal, by an order dated March 18, 2024, had directed the project proponent to file an affidavit, clearly disclosing the operational status of STPs, their capacity and the manner in which excess sewage was being disposed of. No such affidavit has been filed with the counsel as the project proponent sought time to file the affidavit along with all the relevant material.
The counsel appearing for the applicant submitted that the sewage treatment plant no 2 was not functioning and the sewage from the site is being discharged into the Noida drain and also in the labour camp located in Sector 133 of Noida.
The state counsel also submitted that the assistant commissioner of police of the concerned area had visited the site on May 27, 2024 and found various irregularities, including the fact that the sewage treatment plant was not functioning and the recommended green area had not created, among others.