GHAZIABAD: The National Green Tribunal(NGT) constituted Uttar Pradesh Solid Waste Management(SWM) Committee has directed Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation(GMC) to stop dumping garbage at Pratap Vihar dumping ground and has given GMC time till 31 December to ensure compliance. Committee general secretary Rajendera Singh who had recently visited the city in a letter written to municipal commissioner has said that open air dumping ground is the cause of air pollution. He also said that in case of non-compliance penalty will be imposed on GMC under Uttar Pradesh Solid Waste Management Rules 2017.Singh also said that on December 17 the committee has called a meeting of seven municipal commissioners including GMC’s where it will be decided that by when and how dumping ground at Pratap Vihar could be shifted.Speaking to TOI, committee’s general secretary Rajendera Singh said GMC has been asked to ensure that dumping of garbage, solid waste, bio-medical plastic waste and construction and demolition waste should be stopped on or before 31 December. "I had recently surveyed Ghaziabad to find out how GMC is managing its civic waste and during my visit to Pratap Vihar dumping ground I found out how garbge is dumped at the site in an unscientific manner", said Rajendera Singh, general secretary Uttar Pradesh Solid Waste Management(SWM) Committee."The report was shared with committee’s chairman and at his behest a letter has been written to GMC and has been marked to divisional commissioner, district magistrate and others saying that committee wants GMC to ensure that waste of any kind should not be dumped at Pratap Viahr dumping ground after 31 December", added Singh. In case of non-compliance the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board and Central Pollution Control Board has been asked to act against GMC under environment Act or other related acts. "And in case UPCB or CPCP fails to act penalty will be imposed on them including GMC", said Singh"The dumping ground is a source of pollution and it needs to be shifted at a different place and for that a meeting with the Ghaziabad’s municipal commissioner and six other municipal commissioners have been called by the committee on 17 December to decide on how and when the dumping ground would be shifted," said Singh.Municipal commissioner CP Singh meanwhile said that though he has not received the committee’s letter so far and he will comment only after receiving it. When asked how Ghaziabad is placed in terms of managing its civic waste CP Singh said that city’s municipal area an average generates 1000 metric tons of waste every day. "Out of 1000 metric tons 200 metric ton is dumped in Galand, 300 metric tons is being treated at treatment plant in Pratap Vihar but about 500 metric tons of waste still finds way into Pratap Vihar dumping ground", said CP Singh, municipal commissioner, GMC. "Given the situation It would be a big challenge for us to ensure 100% compliance of committee’s order” added Singh. He went on to say that simultaneous efforts are being taken to manage city’s civic waste but for plan to materialize it will take some time."A 500 metric tons capacity of construction and debris waste is planned in Pratap Vihar while state government has recently selected five firms to develop waste to energy and waste to compost plant in many eight cities including Ghaziabad” said CP Singh. But the tough job at hand for GMC is ensuring compliance of committee’s order failing which it runs the risk of getting heavy penalty imposed on it.

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