NGT issues show-cause notice on waste burning in Ghaziabad

Irked over indiscriminate dumping and burning of municipal solid waste in Ghaziabad, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued show cause notices to the District Magistrate and two other senior officials as to why “punitive action” should not be taken against them. The order came after the Tribunal was told that despite its order of September last year directing the authorities not to allow dumping or burning of any municipal solid waste anywhere in Ghaziabad, particularly on the bank of the Hindon river, it was still continuing. “We direct issuance of show cause notice to all the three officers i.e. Secretary, Ghaziabad Development Authority, District Magistrate, Ghaziabad, and Additional Municipal Commissioner, Ghaziabad, to show cause as to why we should not direct that punitive action be taken and impose cost on them which would be personally recoverable,” a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar said.

“Furthermore, we also direct them to show cause as to why environmental compensation in terms of section 15 and 17 of the NGT Act, be not imposed upon all these authorities,” the bench said and fixed the matter for hearing on August 18. During the hearing, the counsel for petitioner Krishan Pal said that despite its order and undertaking given by the concerned authorities, “there is indiscriminate dumping of municipal solid waste and its continuous burning in various parks.”  “The applicant has filed photographs showing huge waste being dumped and even animals are eating plastic and other municipals solid waste. These photographs be taken on record,” the bench noted.