Leachate in Aravalis again, waste plant may lose NOC

Gurgaon: The state wildlife department is planning to cancel the no-objection certificate (NOC) issued to the operator of Bandhwari waste treatment plant for dumping leachate in the Aravalis.
Officials from the department said a recent survey of the area revealed that Ecogreen Energy Pvt Ltd, the operator, was ‘intentionally’ spilling thousands of litres of leachate from the Bandhwari landfill onto mining pits in the Aravalis, resulting in the continued contamination of groundwater of five nearby villages.
The department has now written to the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) and the municipal commissioner’s office regarding the matter. It had earlier issued a notice to Ecogreen in January for violation of the Wildlife Act, 1972 by dumping waste. “We had conducted an inspection earlier and found that the operator continued to release leachate in the Aravalis, violating the norms. Ecogreen had at the time assured us that they will take precautions and will not dump garbage and leachate in Aravalis, but we have found that they continue to do so,” an official said.
“We will cancel the NOC of the operator for damaging the wildlife corridor if leachate continues to flow into the Aravalis. We informed the pollution department and MCG regarding the matter on Friday. The area is known for the presence of jackals and foxes around the Bandhwari waste treatment plant,” the officer further added.
An EcoGreen representative refuted the claims. “The Bandhwari plant is designed in such a way that no leachate can spill out or drain, The recent rains caused water puddles around the plant, which was mistaken as leachate,” the representative said.
Meanwhile, wildlife enthusiasts said they have complained several times regarding spilling of leachate into the Aravalis. “HSPCB has already collected samples from pits near the Bandhwari plant to confirm that it is leachate, and results are awaited,” said Vaishali Rana Chandra, an environmental activist.
“Spilling of leachate is a serious issue in the area, but no concrete action has been taken yet,” added Vivek Kamboj from the NGO Haryali.