NGT stays construction of C&D waste plant at Basai

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday placed a stay order on the making of the construction and demolition (C&D) waste plant at the Basai. The green court has directed the Haryana government to file its reply in the next hearing slated to be held on August 8.

Senior Town Planner of Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) Sudhir Chauhan was present during the hearing.

Built on public private partnership model, it is supposed to be the first C&D plant to be set up in Gurugram where construction waste is attributed as one of the major sources of deadly air pollution.

The construction of the plant, however, has hit hurdles after an NGO named Bird foundation has protested over the site where it is being built and filed a petition at the green court.

The petitioners cited that the area is a preferred site for various species of birds to come and breed during the appropriate season and the construction of plant will adversely affect the natural ecosystem.

Denying the claims, the MCG officials have stated categorically that the 3.5 acre area where the plant is being built is a wasteland and not an ecologically sensitive area as stated by the environmental activists.

In a high level meeting on July 5 to discuss about rising air pollution in Gurugram, the district officials highlighted that how the waste plant will be instrumental in improving the air quality levels.

They stated that even as the plant was struck in legal hurdles they will file an affidavit on the feasibility of setting up the waste plant.

From 2013 onwards, the MCG has been planning to open the C&D waste treatment plant, however various hurdles prevented the officials to go ahead with their plans. In 2014 the MCG officials planned to open the waste treatment plant at Begum Pur Khatola. It had to abandon its plan after the protest from the locals. It was in the mid 2016 that the alternative site at Basai was chosen by the MCG officials.

According to officials, once set up it will treat over 300 tonnes of C&D waste. The recycled waste will create raw materials like ceramic, cement bricks stones and sand that will subsequently be used in various construction projects of MCG. Though there were plans to make the plant operational by December, the legal hurdles are expected to delay the operations further.

The MCG is also embroiled in a case at NGT regarding the closure of 30 acres Bandhwari landfill that is been created within the green cover of Aravallis.