Gurgaon: The Basai wetland is about 250 metre from a kuchcha road off which the MCG's waste management plant is supposed to come up, suggested the report prepared by an NGT-appointed commissioner.
The report that was submitted in the NGT on Tuesday added though the right flank of the road might qualify as a wetland, the project site did not fall in the catchment area."The project land does not appear to be a wetland or part (of it). Birds are seen in and around the portion inundated with water on the right flank of the kuchcha road, which would qualify as a wetland... can be decided only by the honourable tribunal," read the report (a copy of which with TOI).
As activists pointed out, the project site is located in between the kuchcha road and the Basai wetland, which means the distance between the two would be less than 250 metre. However, the report does not clarify the actual distance between the project site and the water body.
The tribunal granted 24 hours to the petitioner and MCG for going through the report while scheduling the next hearing for Thursday.
"The report has rightly said that there is rainwater at the site and also that migratory birds are present at the site," said one of the petitioners Pankaj Gupta from Delhi Bird Foundation.
On the other hand, Sudhir Chauhan, senior town planner, MCG, said the report clearly indicated that there was no wetland at the project site. "The plant is away from the water body and not in the catchment area either. Water gets accumulated only due to digging of acquired land by nearby developers and breach in a canal carrying treated water," he added.
However, Saurabh Gajraj, an environmental engineer, said, "No construction can take place in the wetland and in its zone of influence. In case of Basai wetland, it is not important if the plant site is 250 metre or 100 metre away. If the plant lies in the zone of influence, it shouldn't be permitted. Also, it is important to note that the plant site lies between the water body and the kuchcha road," he explained.
The report that was submitted in the NGT on Tuesday added though the right flank of the road might qualify as a wetland, the project site did not fall in the catchment area."The project land does not appear to be a wetland or part (of it). Birds are seen in and around the portion inundated with water on the right flank of the kuchcha road, which would qualify as a wetland... can be decided only by the honourable tribunal," read the report (a copy of which with TOI).
As activists pointed out, the project site is located in between the kuchcha road and the Basai wetland, which means the distance between the two would be less than 250 metre. However, the report does not clarify the actual distance between the project site and the water body.
The tribunal granted 24 hours to the petitioner and MCG for going through the report while scheduling the next hearing for Thursday.
"The report has rightly said that there is rainwater at the site and also that migratory birds are present at the site," said one of the petitioners Pankaj Gupta from Delhi Bird Foundation.
On the other hand, Sudhir Chauhan, senior town planner, MCG, said the report clearly indicated that there was no wetland at the project site. "The plant is away from the water body and not in the catchment area either. Water gets accumulated only due to digging of acquired land by nearby developers and breach in a canal carrying treated water," he added.
However, Saurabh Gajraj, an environmental engineer, said, "No construction can take place in the wetland and in its zone of influence. In case of Basai wetland, it is not important if the plant site is 250 metre or 100 metre away. If the plant lies in the zone of influence, it shouldn't be permitted. Also, it is important to note that the plant site lies between the water body and the kuchcha road," he explained.
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