Ghaziabad gets 15 days’ extension to shift Pratap Vihar landfill

GHAZIABAD: A committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal has given the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) an extension of 15 days for putting a stop to dumping waste at the Pratap Vihar landfill site. The Uttar Pradesh Solid Waste Management (SWM) Committee had on December 10 directed GMC to take steps to stop dumping of garbage at the landfill before December 31.

According to GMC officials who attended a meeting with the committee on Monday, the civic body presented a series of steps taken by it to manage waste in the city. GMC sought a longer extension, but the committee decided against it. “We had sought more time to stop dumping of civic waste at the Pratap Vihar landfill site. But the committee decided against giving an extension beyond 15 days” said AK Mishra, GMC coordinator of the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Rajendera Singh, general secretary of the NGT-appointed committee, said he had specifically told the GMC not to dump garbage at Pratp Vihar after January 15. He said he had also asked the corporation to cover the garage already dumped at the site to rein in pollution levels.

“Dumping at the Pratap Vihar landfill site has been banned after January 15. A detailed order will be released on Tuesday,” said Rajendera Singh.

If the committee’s directive is not adhered to, the state and the central pollution control boards have been asked to act against GMC under provisions of the Environment Act or other related laws.

Ghaziabad, on an average, generates around 1,000 metric tonnes of waste every day. Of it, 200 metric tonnes is dumped in Galand, 300 metric tonnes is treated at the plant in Pratap Vihar but about 500 metric tonnes of waste still finds way into the Pratap Vihar dumping ground. With the Galand dumping site yet to be fully developed, GMC is at its wits’ end to implement the committee’s order.