IMC (Itanagar Municipal Council) Mayor refutes charges of NGT

A CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: The SPCB (State Pollution Control Board) had imposed a penalty of Rs 75 lakh on the IMC (Itanagar Municipal Council), on July 30 last, for its failure to comply with the order issued by the NGT (National Green Tribunal) to commence the process for setting up a STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) by March 31, 2020 and accordingly commission it on March 31, 2021.

Penalty was also imposed for not complying with the order to check LWR (Legacy Waste Remediation) of Rs 15 lakh. The total fine imposed amounted to Rs 90 lakh

The same amount of penalty was also imposed on the Pasighat Municipal Council (PMC) by the NGT through the SPCB.

Meanwhile, IMC Mayor Tame Phassang informed the media on Friday that in the financial year 2018-2019, the urban body was allotted funds of Rs 140 crore under the AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) for various developmental projects including the construction of STP, LWR, and Children's Park among others.

He further said that of the total allotted fund, only an amount of Rs 30 crore has been sanctioned so far, adding that a major part of this fund has been used in various developmental works by the IMC. The remaining amount of Rs110 crore is yet to be released.

He also said that the STP was supposed to be set up under the same amount sanctioned by the AMRUT. But due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, lack of manpower and non-release of adequate funds, the work could not be executed on time.

"When the project never started and no fund was sanctioned for the construction of STP, how can the SPCB and NGT penalize the IMC with such a huge amount of money?" he posed.

Phassang also stated, '' The SPCB should have culled correct data as to why the STP work never started. The IMC should have been penalized, if the work started and any fault was detected or the work was not completed in time.''

Speaking on 'Solid Waste Management' (SWM), Phassang said that the SWM at Chimpu was established in the year 2013. He said that the structure should have been constructed at least 2 km away from National Highway, according to the NGT.

He said that the mistake of not building the SWM 2 km away from the national highway and town area is not a mistake of IMC. He added, ''However, the IMC made efforts to earmark folur other feasible locations within ICR for the establishment of SWM.

"The IMC has earmarked four locations and submitted the details to Chief Minister Pema Khandu earlier.

''Accordingly, the CM allotted an amount of Rs 15 crore for the same," he said, adding that ''the money is being invested in to build SWM in the areas of Karsingsa and Nirjuli''.

He also informed that the IMC will respond to the SPCB and NGT through a letter on the order issued on 'penalty' to the Corporation.

Also Read: Itanagar Municipal Corporation team visits Delhi waste-management plants

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