Submit status report on Boragaon waste dumping & treatment plant: Gauhati High Court

BORAGAON WASTE DUMPING & TREATMENT PLANT

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Regarding the waste dumping and treatment plant at Boragaon, the Gauhati High Court has asked the Government of Assam, and GMC (Guwahati Municipality Corporation) to appraise the High Court about the stage and status of the progress of the project of the plant and also the steps being taken besides the position regarding the finalization of the tendering process. The Court said that the information must be submitted by the next date slated for hearing the matter which is January 21, 2022. This direction was given by the bench of Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and Justice Malasri Nandi.

Mentionably, the learned standing counsel, GMC, S. Bora submitted that as far as the tendering process is concerned, though the GMC had finalized it and sought approval from the State government, instead of according approval, the Government has given a suggestion as to whether a new technology — involving bio methanation — can be utilized Bora also said that the earlier tendering process could not be finalized.

He further submitted that the Government also has, in the meantime, constituted a panel of five members on January 12, 2021, to examine all these issues including which will be the most appropriate technology to be adopted for solid waste management.

"And as such, it has been submitted that till such committee gives its finding and the Government gives its approval, the GMC is not in a position to go ahead with the earlier tendering process. Accordingly, the government sought some time to ascertain as to how long the matter will take so that necessary actions can be taken."

The bench said, "In this regard, the counsel for the petitioner has drawn our attention to the letter dated September 9, 2021, issued by the 'Pollution Control Board' to the Commissioner, GMC, where certain directions were issued under Section 5 of the 'Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 – (i) for stopping the dumping of waste at the Chandrapur site, (ii) to take necessary steps for treatment and disposal of the waste already dumped at the Chandrapur site, (iii) to assess the damage caused to the environment due to the dumping of waste at Chandrapur and take necessary steps in that regard. It has been submitted that though dumping of the waste at the Chandrapur site has been stopped by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation, as regards the remaining two directions, no steps have been taken by the GMC."

The Court further said in the order, "In this regard, H.K. Das, learned standing counsel for the High Court appearing in the PIL (Suo Moto) No.3/2017 has drawn our attention to the order passed by this Court on March 17, 2021, in where the Chief Secretary of the State, who was personally present in the Court, had apprised this Court that around 17 bighas of land — which is free from all encumbrances — have been identified at Dakhingaon, Sonaighuli in Guwahati."

Mentionably, the Chief Secretary of the State added that in this place the process for construction of the waste management plant will soon begin and the process should take approximately six months.

"H.K. Das, learned standing counsel for the High Court submitted that it appears from the submission made by the learned standing counsel of GMC as well as the State counsel, that the mentioned process has not yet been initiated at all much, not to talk of completing the project within six months.

Bora, standing counsel, GMC, in this regard, submitted that though the mentioned place at Sonaighuli was earlier identified on subsequent reassessment it was found that the place is not suitable; and accordingly, the site has been abandoned and now the Government has identified Boragaon where the proposed plant will come up.

The Court said, "Be that as it may, what is important for this Court is to lay emphasis on the expeditiousness in the establishment of the plant."

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