Pune: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a fine of Rs 2 crore on the PMC for failing to submit an action plan for disposing of the legacy waste of 2.5 lakh MT at Uruli Devachi and Fursungi waste disposal sites.
A Bench of Justice SP Wangdi and Expert Member Nagin Nanda on Thursday ordered the PMC commissioner to give a bank guarantee of Rs two crore to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. “The amount will be forfeited if management of the legacy waste is not done as per action plan within the next two months,” the Bench ordered.
The tribunal is hearing a petition filed by Bhagwan Bhadale, Vijay Bhadale and Gram Panchayat of Uruli Devachi, filed through lawyer Asim Sarode.
“The fact that no action plan has been filed before us in terms of the order passed on November 18, 2017, which was recorded on the submissions made on behalf of the PMC, amounts to gross violation of the order. We direct the Municipal Commissioner, PMC to show cause as to why action under Section 26 read with Section 28 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 should not be instituted against them having failed to comply with the order of the Tribunal and why a penalty of Rs 2 crore should not be imposed upon them. The show cause shall be filed without fail within seven (7) days,” the NGT had stated in its order dated July 11.
The PMC officials had submitted their reply on July 17 but the NGT was not satisfied with it, hence imposed the fine.
Suresh Jagtap, Head of the Solid Waste Management Department of PMC said, “The NGT has given directives to deposit Rs 2 crore as performance guarantee against the solid waste plan.”
As per order dated November 15, 2017, the PMC was directed to file copies of the action plan to deal with the waste, which was estimated at 2.5 lakh MT at the site.
“The November 18, 2017 order would reveal that deliberation had taken place, where the corporation had placed its text of presentation demonstrating a separate status of solid waste composts generated within limits of the PMC, status of waste processing and the facts concerning Uruli Devachi and Fursungi villages waste disposal sites. After elaborate discussions on various aspects in the meeting, it was submitted on behalf of the corporation that it would come up with an action plan to handle the mixed waste at the sites on a reducing scale to put an end to the incoming waste within a time frame. It was specifically undertaken that the action plan will be furnished before the Tribunal on or before December 15, 2017 and copies would be furnished to the MPCB as well as the other contending parties,” the NGT order stated.
Earlier, Jagtap had submitted to the NGT that the corporation has called for Expression of Interest (EoI) in respect of bio-mining of the legacy waste for both the sites on June 19, 2018. He further submitted that the PMC has submitted the estimates for the works to the Estimate Committee on June 19, 2018, approval for which is awaited.
