NGT order a blow to cash-starved civic bodies

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 6

The fund-starved civic bodies, the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC), municipal councils of Solan and Baddi, have started sending solid waste to the Chandigarh municipal treatment plant as directed by the National Green Tribunal. But the SMC has sought three months to restart its Badiyal solid treatment plant near here after the corporation took over its management from the private player after the NGT gave its nod.

The order came as a big blow to the fund-strapped civic bodies. The SMC dispatched four trucks of solid waste to Chandigarh plant yesterday and each truck would cost Rs 1,500, revealed SMC officials.

The green tribunal on September 30 pulled up the civic bodies for not disposing of the solid waste as per rules. The tribunal directed these to dispose of the solid waste in the Chandigarh plant until they had well-equipped solid treatment plants as per the state solid waste treatment rules.

The NGT has been hearing a bunch of petitions, including oppositions raised by locals in this connection, since July 16. The next hearing in the case would take place at its principal bench at New Delhi on October 13.

Municipal Commissioner Pankaj Rai said the SMC would comply with the NGT order. “We have taken over the Badiyal plant and sought three months from the NGT to refurbish it”, he added.

The private player, Hanger, deserted the Badiyal plant a few months back and the SMC lodged the FIR against it and terminated the agreement on September 28, said MC officials.