: In a gross violation of the National Green Tribunal orders banning burning of any type of waste in the open in the National Capital Region, waste is being openly dumped and burnt in the city, causing health and environmental hazards.
In a recent incident, Ruchika Sethi, a citizen activist running ‘Why Waste Your Waste’ campaign was driving along the Golf Course Extension Road at night, when she came across thick smoke emanating from open spaces further down Vatika City.
“Waste was being burned at another vacant place further down on this road. I video recorded the incident, and took photographs of both the places to send to sanitation inspectors,”
Ms. Sethi said. “The waste had been set to fire recently as there was blazing fire visible from behind the debris hill. I was at the site for 10 minutes, and saw a tractor trolley with three men. They stopped the tractor as soon they saw my car. I sped away fearing they would harm me and my daughter. I even sent pictures to Deputy Commissioner T.L. Satyaprakash.”
The deputy commissioner, who also holds the charge of MCG commissioner, had passed an order in December last directing “scientific” disposal of waste.
The notification said that horticulture and other waste should not be burnt under any circumstances, and there was a provision under it to impose a penalty of Rs.5,000 at the first detection with 20 per cent hike on each subsequent detection.
Mr. Satyapraskash told The Hindu that the corporation was under-staffed to implement the order and it was the responsibility of every person to ensure that waste was not burnt openly.
“The regulatory framework and the regulatory capacity are two different things. With just 26 per cent of the total staff required, it is difficult to implement the orders. Still, if any violation is brought to our notice, we will take action,” he said.
Activists, however, said that the practice of burning and dumping waste in the open, especially on the entire stretch of Golf Course Extension Road, was a regular feature and had been brought to the notice of sanitary inspectors.
The latter had forewarned some housing complexes based on their previous complaints but expressed their helplessness at issuing any penalty since there was no circumstantial evidence of someone setting it to fire captured on camera. The activists claimed that burning of waste was rampant across the city.
“Waste will continue to be burnt if an integrated solid waste management policy for Gurgaon is not implemented. Until then, children will have to suffer from air-borne allergies and asthma,” said Ms. Sethi
