The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formed a joint committee and asked for an action-taken report surrounding the concern over the mounting heap of garbage in Punjab’s Dinanagar town of Gurdaspur district.
The NGT order came through on October 5, following a complaint by Sunil Dutt, a local environmentalist and social worker. In his complaint, Mr. Dutt alleged that the Municipal Council of Dinanagar has been dumping garbage in a waste water pond situated adjacent to the local police station. He claims this has created a large heap of garbage composed of dangerous chemicals, plastic materials, and other scrap.
The garbage dumped in the area contaminates the local groundwater, emits a foul smell, and poses serious health hazards to the residents of the locality. The concerned authorities are flagrantly violating the solid waste management rules and directions issued by the NGT, added the complaint.
Pointing out that “prima facie, the averments made in the application raise questions relating to the environment arising out of the implementation of the enactments specified in Schedule I to the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010”, the NGT constituted a joint committee including representatives of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Punjab State Pollution Control Board (PSPCB) and District Magistrate, Gurdaspur.
The Tribunal directed the committee to meet within two weeks, undertake visits to the site, look into the grievances of the applicant, verify the factual position, and take appropriate remedial action. The factual and action taken report may be filed by the joint committee within one month, it added.
