NGT panel to verify PCB claims on solid waste management
NGT has constituted a committee consisting of officials from MPCB and PMC to check the preventive measures taken to prevent open garbage burning and fire incident issues in Hadapsar
Pune: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a committee consisting of officials from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to check the preventive measures taken to prevent open garbage burning and fire incident issues in Hadapsar.
The bench consisting of Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh, judicial member and Vijay Kulkarni, expert member issued the order on January 27 as the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) claimed that they are taking necessary steps to prevent such incidents in Hadapsar.
The environment watchdog had taken suo motu cognisanse of a news report published on April 14, 2024, regarding open garbage burning issue in Hadapsar. The NGT has directed the committee to submit its report by visiting the site within three weeks from the date of issuance of the order.
In the earlier hearings, PMC and MPCB had highlighted the fact that the site in question comes under the jurisdiction of PCB. The board in its response mentioned that the fire incident at the site in question was due to the summer season and prevalence of severe atmospheric heat in the garbage heap. It also updated the tribunal that a standby fire engine and water lorry have been deputed at the incident site to avoid a similar incident in future. PCB also stated that a masonry tank has been put in place in the trenching ground to make water available for quenching fire, besides installing six CCTV cameras to cover the location to prevent debris dumping by vehicles.
After hearing PCB’s response, the tribunal directed the panel to ascertain whether the steps mentioned by PCB have been carried out at the site. The tribunal has set the next date for hearing as March 24, 2025.