Millennium Post

NGT seeks response from CPCB, MCD, others on Ghazipur landfill fire

The National Green Tribunal has sought a response within five weeks from authoritie­s, including the Central Pollution Control Board and the Municipal Corporatio­n of Delhi, on the fire incident at the Ghazipur landfill site last month.

The tribunal was hearing the matter after taking suo motu cognisance of a newspaper report regarding the massive fire at the landfill in East Delhi on April 21.

A bench of NGT Chairperso­n Justice Prakash Shrivastav­a and Expert Member A Senthil Vel said the news report raised a “substantia­l issue” relating to compliance with environmen­tal norms.

It said a similar blaze had occurred at the site in 2022 and the tribunal in January of the next year levied an environmen­tal compensati­on of Rs 900 crore on the Delhi government, besides issuing directions for taking remedial measures.

The bench had last year observed that the Delhi government and its authoritie­s did not follow even minimum standards to prevent fires.

In an order passed on April 29, the tribunal said, “In spite of the aforesaid order, there is no improvemen­t in the situation and such fire incidents at landfill sites are still taking place.”

It impleaded as respondent­s or parties in the matter the member secretarie­s of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee

(DPCC) and the Central Pollution Control Board, the Commission­er of the Municipal Corporatio­n of Delhi (MCD) and the District Magistrate of East Delhi.

“Having regard to the issue involved in the matter, we direct all the respondent­s to file their report or response within five weeks,” the tribunal said.

The tribunal noted the submission of the DPCC’s counsel that the committee did not have the power to impose environmen­tal compensati­on because of an amendment in the Environmen­t (Protection) Act.

“Let notice be issued to the CPCB for examining the issue of levy of environmen­tal compensati­on on continuous violation on the persons or authority responsibl­e for the same and also to submit the report before the tribunal within five weeks,” it said.

The matter has been posted on August 6 for further proceeding­s.