Panel imposes Rs 9.3-cr green cost on Chandigarh MC for defying norms

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, November 14

For failing to comply with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directions, the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) has imposed a whopping Rs 9.30-crore environmental compensation on the Municipal Corporation and Rs 1.20 crore on the Engineering Department of the UT Administration.

The CPCC has also served a show-cause notice on the UT Estate Officer, asking why Rs 1.50-crore cost should not be imposed on it.

As far as the civic body is concerned, an environmental compensation of Rs 5.60 crore has been imposed as the sewage treatment plants (STPs) under the MC were not found to be complying with the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) levels of under 10 mg/l and faecal coliform levels of under 100 MPN/100 ml.

Further, an environmental compensation of Rs 3 crore has been levied on the MC for its failure in management and processing of municipal solid waste of the city. Another Rs 70-lakh cost has been imposed for failing to bio-remediate old waste on a 20-acre dumpsite.

The CPCC has also directed the Engineering Department of the UT Administration to pay Rs 60 lakh in compensation for not meeting the prescribed norms at the Raipur Kalan-II STP. Another Rs 60-lakh compensation has been levied for N-choe not being found to be complying with the latest discharge standards.

In its notice to the Estate Officer, the CPCC has sought a reply within 15 days as to why Rs 1.50-crore compensation should not be imposed on it for its failure to commence in-situ remediation of drains.

The charges have been levied after show-cause notices were served and reminders sent for compliance of the NGT directions.

The STPs and drains are visited by the CPCC every month. These costs are for a period of one to two years till September 2022. These facts were submitted in an affidavit by the CPCC to the NGT with regards to an ongoing case.

The MC, for its part, has submitted the ongoing upgrade of all five STPs in the city is set to be completed by February 2023.

Work on the Diggian STP is to be completed by February 28 next year, while the upgrade of the other four at 3BRD, Dhanas, Raipur Khurd and Raipur Kalan will be completed by January 31.

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