NGT raps TN govt, Chennai Corporation for letting Manali incineration plant operate without consent
Pollution Control Board, GCC, health dept, etc criticised for putting public health at risk;
Kodungaiyur dumpyard picture used for representation purposes only
CHENNAI: Even as the waste-to-energy incineration plant in Manali has been operational for the last 5 years, sans the consent to operate (CTO) certificate, the Southern Bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) criticised the government agencies including Greater Chennai Corporation and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) for their indifference towards public health.
Taking a suo motu cognizance based on a fact-finding report on the plant prepared by various environmental organisations, on Wednesday, the bench comprising judicial member Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati asked the GCC how it could operate the incineration plant without valid consent despite the plant being harmful to the people.
Meanwhile, TNPCB informed the Tribunal that the directions had been issued to revamp some of the faulty equipment in the plant. Directing the civic body and TNPCB to file their respective reports, the Tribunal posted the next hearing on April 29.
“If you allow this (operation without consent) to happen, you’ll be penalised,” the bench warned the TNPCB.
A joint fact-finding report titled ‘Waste Incineration-Zero Pollution or Zero Truth?’ alleged that the civic body had failed to renew the CTO from 2020, which must be done once in every year. It highlighted that cadmium presence in the soil samples near the plant was about 16 times the permissible level, and that the presence of high concentrations of lead and chromium are toxic to kidneys, skeletal system, respiratory system, nervous system, cardiovascular system and others.
In another suo motu case pertaining to health hazards posed by vacant plots, the Tribunal opined that owners of such plots have the responsibility of keeping them clean without leaving them as breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The bench also issued notices to GCC, TNPCB, State Environment Department and Health department to file their reports before the next hearing on June 6.