Perform or pay, NGT panel tells civic body

Ludhiana: Acting tough against the failure of the municipal corporation in proper handling of the solid waste management (SWM) in the city, an NGT-formed monitoring committee on Monday asked the civic body to deposit bank guarantees in favour of PPCB in respect of every unfinished task, which would stand forfeited if the corporation is not able to do the needful in the stipulated period.
At a meeting held through video-conferencing, members of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) committee expressed dissatisfaction over the working of the civic body as well as waste management company A2Z. The panel has asked the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) officials to impose environment compensation on A2Z for not lapses in processing of garbage.
For the implementation of SWM rules, deadlines were fixed for various related works. The civic body was also found lacking in the implementation of source segregation of waste in the city. Moreover, the work of upgradation of sewerage treatment plants (STPs) of the corporation has not started yet. The civic officials, however, claimed that due to Covid-19, they were not able to complete their works and they need another two-three months’ time for the pending tasks.
The panel head, Justice Jasbir Singh, however, made it clear that the NGT committee does not have the power to extend the deadline, and if they want extension, they should approach the tribunal. But, finally, the committee yielded, saying if they are not able to complete the task in the sought time period, their bank guarantees would be forfeited.
Although the civic officials are tight-lipped about the bank guarantee clause, the PPCB officials confirmed the same. Municipal commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal, however, could not be contacted for his comments.
A member of the committee and environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal said, “The time given to the civic body has lapsed, so they have been asked to deposit bank guarantees. Apart from Ludhiana MC, small civic bodies like Khanna, Jagraon etc had also joined the meeting. All have been asked to deposit bank guarantees.” The bank guarantee amounts range from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh for the Ludhiana MC and for each missed target, separate bank guarantee has been demanded, he added.
PPCB senior environment engineer Sandeep Behl said, “The NGT panel has clearly instructed the civic body to get solid waste processed properly and they also flayed the working of A2Z waste management company for not doing their work properly. We are told to impose environmental compensation on the private garbage collecting firm.”