Shimla, June 3
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a fine of Rs 4.6 crore on the Manali Municipal Council for failing to manage waste properly at a dumping site in Rangri village, near the tourist resort of Manali. The tribunal’s order, issued on May 29, 2024, mandates the Municipal Council to pay the fine within three months and deposit the amount with the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB).
According to a report published in Down to Earth magazine on May 31, 2024, the NGT found that proper management of solid waste at the Rangri village waste facility was not being conducted. The tribunal specified that the fine would be used for compensating the damage caused to the environment as well as for its rejuvenation and restoration.
The order also stated that any previous or anticipated payments made by the respondent after receiving notice on January 24, 2024, would be directed towards environmental restoration.
In response to the situation, the NGT directed the state to form a joint committee comprising the District Magistrate of Kullu, the Member Secretary of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and the Member Secretary of the HPSPCB. This committee is tasked with ensuring proper segregation and management of garbage and preparing an environmental rejuvenation plan within six months.
The tribunal’s action follows a written complaint from a petitioner about pollution affecting two nearby schools and a local village due to unscientific dumping practices. On May 25, 2022, the head of Gram Panchayat Shalen in Manali, Paldan Phunchog, highlighted the issue in a letter, noting that local residents were suffering from garbage scattered over a two-kilometer area and the resulting foul smell. This situation was leading to health problems and creating living conditions described as “hellish.”
The Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board, in its inspection on January 3, 2024, found several violations at the Rangri village municipal solid waste facility. The inspection revealed heaps of long-standing waste along with fresh mixed waste that required scientific processing. Additionally, compost pits were filled with mixed waste, and the facility lacked both a bio-methanation plant and a bio-composter despite repeated instructions from the Pollution Board. The retaining wall around old waste near the Beas River was also found damaged.
The Panchayat accused the civic body of excessive piling of fresh waste, which, with little rain, flows into the Beas River, exacerbating the environmental hazard. The court has warned that if the Municipal Council continues to mismanage or misuse solid waste, the Pollution Control Board should determine environmental compensation on a monthly basis.
Noteworthy that this significant fine and the tribunal’s directives highlight the urgent need for proper waste management practices to protect the environment and public health in Manali.
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