NGT takes up fresh plea on waste dumping, burning on Gaula flood plain
Dehradun : The National Green Tribunal has taken up a fresh plea alleging illegal dumping and burning of municipal solid waste and untreated biomedical waste on the flood plain of Gaula river in Haldwani , while noting that a related matter on the same issue is already pending before it. In an order dated March 24, the principal bench said the application “raises a substantial issue relating to compliance with environmental norms” and issued notice to state govt through its chief secretary and Nagar Nigam Haldwani through municipal commissioner.
The case, filed by Deep Chandra Pande , was heard by a bench comprising NGT chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert members Dr A Senthil Vel and Dr Afroz Ahmad, which examined the plea in the context of alleged violations at a site said to be dangerously close to both habitation and a major road corridor.
According to the order, the applicant alleged “unscientific and illegal dumping” and burning of municipal solid waste and untreated biomedical waste at the site, and said a residential area lay within 150 to 180 metres of the dumpyard, while NH-109, which passes through Haldwani city, was just 20 metres away. The plea said the location and manner of disposal posed a continuing environmental and public health concern.
The application alleged violations of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, and Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016, while also claiming that the trenching ground had been set up in violation of siting criteria and was polluting Gaula river water used for agriculture, drinking and fishing. By placing these allegations on record, the applicant argued that the issue went beyond a local dumping dispute and raised broader concerns over environmental compliance and the handling of waste in a sensitive riverine zone.
The tribunal recorded that another matter, Hemant Singh Gonia & Ors vs State of Uttarakhand, involving the same issue, was already pending before it, and, taking note of the overlap, directed that the present matter be listed along with the earlier case on April 27 so that both could be considered together.
NGT also directed issuance of notice to the respondents and asked the applicant to serve them and file an affidavit of service at least one week before the next date of hearing. While the tribunal did not go into the merits of the allegations at this stage, it formally recognised that the plea concerns significant issues of environmental compliance.
The case, filed by Deep Chandra Pande , was heard by a bench comprising NGT chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert members Dr A Senthil Vel and Dr Afroz Ahmad, which examined the plea in the context of alleged violations at a site said to be dangerously close to both habitation and a major road corridor.
According to the order, the applicant alleged “unscientific and illegal dumping” and burning of municipal solid waste and untreated biomedical waste at the site, and said a residential area lay within 150 to 180 metres of the dumpyard, while NH-109, which passes through Haldwani city, was just 20 metres away. The plea said the location and manner of disposal posed a continuing environmental and public health concern.
The application alleged violations of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, and Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016, while also claiming that the trenching ground had been set up in violation of siting criteria and was polluting Gaula river water used for agriculture, drinking and fishing. By placing these allegations on record, the applicant argued that the issue went beyond a local dumping dispute and raised broader concerns over environmental compliance and the handling of waste in a sensitive riverine zone.
The tribunal recorded that another matter, Hemant Singh Gonia & Ors vs State of Uttarakhand, involving the same issue, was already pending before it, and, taking note of the overlap, directed that the present matter be listed along with the earlier case on April 27 so that both could be considered together.
NGT also directed issuance of notice to the respondents and asked the applicant to serve them and file an affidavit of service at least one week before the next date of hearing. While the tribunal did not go into the merits of the allegations at this stage, it formally recognised that the plea concerns significant issues of environmental compliance.
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