National Green Tribunal raps GMC over waste management

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has observed that the solid waste management of Guwahati is "not being scientifically managed" by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC).

This observation was made in an order passed by the NGT on April 28 in response to an application filed by wildlife activist Rohit Choudhury, alleging damage to the Deepor Beel wetlands. Choudhury had alleged violation of the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules and Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules.

The GMC informed the NGT in a recent affidavit that the old solid waste dumping ground at West Boragaon was closed on June 28, 2021 and the city's solid waste is presently being transferred to the new site at Belortol from August 21, 2021. It added that treatment of old legacy waste started in January last year and that around 2 lakh metric tonne of legacy waste has been treated so far.

The NGT stated in its order that solid waste is not being scientifically managed b the GMC, nor legacy waste remediated. Further, the GMC has not specified the capacity of the proposed integrated waste management plant and there is also no water quality monitoring programme of the wetland. The order observed that no satisfactory progress has taken place so far even though the process is being monitored by the NGT for a long time.

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