The Kerala government has given a clean chit to the Maradu Municipality in Ernakulam district on allegations of shortcomings in submitting action plans and data on removal and disposal of debris following the demolition of the four apartment complexes in January last year.
The Department of Local Self Governments said the service providers engaged for removal of debris as per the agreement with the civic body had completed the process. The State Pollution Control Board (PCB) had earlier said that the municipal secretary had not submitted action plans and data on disposal of debris despite repeated reminders.
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It had sought advice from the Central Pollution Control Board for fixing guidelines to impose environmental compensation on the municipality while pointing out that the non-submission of action plans by the civic body and service providers had made it difficult to identify sites for disposal of debris.
A report filed by the government before the National Green Tribunal claimed that the municipal secretary had carried out duties assigned diligently to ensure compliance with the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The mission vested with the municipality was properly completed, and the PCB had issued directives and supervised the removal of debris. According to preliminary estimates, the quantity of demolition debris was around 76,300 tonnes. However, only 69,600 tonnes were removed, it said.
The government maintained that there were no specific guidelines or model calculations available for imposing environmental compensation, if any, for violations by the municipal secretary by way of not providing periodical reports, action plans, data on removal, and disposal of steel as well as concrete debris.
However, it said that the shortfalls / violations by the municipality, if any, could be ascertained only after receiving such a document outlining the guidelines or model calculations for fixing environmental compensation.
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