PUNE: The principal bench of National Green Tribunal in New Delhi has directed the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and the Pune district collector to file responses by Sept 11 in a suo motu proceeding on the issue of dumping of construction and demolition waste on stretches of rivers in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
The responses are to be filed before the green tribunal’s western zonal bench, Pune, which will take over the hearing of the matter from September 11.
The principal bench initiated a suo motu proceeding while taking cognisance of a newspaper article highlighting dumping of debris on riverbanks and city areas.
“The matter relates to dumping of construction and demolition (C&D) waste on stretches of rivers in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. As per the article, there is a lot of dumping taking place on a stretch of river at Bopodi. Construction and demolition waste are being dumped in low-lying areas. Apartments were flooded in 2019, and now with this dumping, water is going to enter most areas of Bopodi,” the bench of Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A. Senthil Vel said on July 11.
“The article highlights that despite the introduction of Construction and Waste Management Rules in 2016, the authorities have failed to prevent dumping of construction and demolition waste in rivers,” the bench said. It further took note of the fact that most of the dumping in city areas has been done by builders, while in rural areas, farmers tend to dump waste to build river crossings. “Construction and demolition waste are also dumped in Ramnadi and Pawana river,” the bench said.
Moreover, the bench noted, “The article states that the main problem with the PMC is that it does not have a system for collection of construction and demolition waste at the ward level. Even ward officers are unaware of the agency or contractor who is supposed to pick up the construction and demolition waste. A final waste processing unit has been set up in Wagholi but it is highly inconvenient for builders and common people to send the waste to that centre.”
“The news article indicates violation of the provisions of Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016; Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and raises substantial issue relating to compliance of environmental norms and implementation of the provisions of scheduled enactment,” said the bench.
TOI had reported about dumping of debris on Mutha bank in Bopodi as well as in Mutha’s restricted flood zone. Besides being an ugly sight, dumping of debris causes impediments to the Mutha’s flow during the monsoon.
When water surges, debris flow down and increase the riverbed height and settles into other spots, increasing flood risk.
