STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Deepor Beel Suraksha Mancha in a statement alleged that even after several announcements made in the past and submitting affidavits in the court, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has not taken any concrete steps towards the collection and segregation of the wastes in a decentralised manner and the illegal dumping ground in the Belortol region along the Pamohi canal connecting Deepor Beel is a violation of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines.
President of the organisation, Henry David Teron pointed out in a statement that GMC had started the dumping ground near the railway tracks that pass through the Deepor Beel in the first week of August 2021 which is both illegal and unethical. The NGT ruled that the conservation of Deepor Beel is mandatory under the Solid Waste Management Rule of 2016 and the Wetland Conservation and Management Rule of 2017. GMC had also filed an affidavit in NGT promising the decentralization of the city’s garbage collection at various places within the city limits said Promod Kalita the general secretary of the organization.
While Suchil Terone, the assistant general secretary mentioned that a delegation of Deepor Beel Suraksha Mancha visited the GMC on May 24 and did not see any measures for the decentralization of garbage disposal in the city that completely violated the guidelines of the NGT regarding the conservation of Deepor Beel. The tribunal had directed the committee chaired by the Chief Secretary of the state government to take the necessary measures for the conservation of the reservoir but nothing has been done along those lines mentioned by the organisation.
The officials of the forum said the government has gradually pushed the wetland of Deepar Beel to death under the pretext of so-called development and with its two-pronged policies. The NGT in Rohit Chowdhury vs Union of India OA No.19/2014/EZ with IA. No.71 / 2020 / EZ, ordered that the conservation of Deep Beel is compulsory. In addition, the GMC has submitted a report to the NGT regarding the decentralization of waste management at various places within the city limits. These include 2.95 bighas of land in the old prison area of Fancy Bazar, 2 bighas of Purabi Dairy in Six Mile, 5 bighas in Adabari bus station area, 2.9 bighas in Mathgharia and 2 katha in Odalbakara. However, all waste has been disposed of only at Belortal near Deepor Beel. And no action has been taken regarding garbage segregation at other parts of the city.
Earlier, after an affidavit filed with the NGT on February 11, 2020, the court had allocated a total of 125 bighas and 4 katha land to the GMC authorities at four locations in Guwahati for Intergraded Solid Waste Management Facilities but no action was taken regarding the same mentioned the representatives of the Deepor Beel Suraksha Mancha.
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