Taking serious objections to the “unscientific” disposal of solid waste generated in Hassan, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has directed the Hassan City Municipal Council to stop waste disposal until the council’s action plan is approved by the board. The CMC has been accused of disposing garbage in a landfill at Santhepete without following the norms meant for handling municipal solid waste.
H.M. Suresh Kumar, an Independent member of the council, had complained to KSPCB that the CMC had dug a landfill and begun disposing waste without taking consent of the board. As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 the urban local body has to take clearance from the board for the landfill. “The landfill has not been constructed scientifically. There is no leachate collection tank and this might cause groundwater pollution,” he said. He submitted the complaint in January.
Following his complaint, K.V. Shivakumar, environment officer of KSPCB, visited the spot and submitted a notice on January 13, 2017 as per provisions under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
The KSPCB had given clearance for the landfill unit at Agile village near here. Only recently, the CMC began disposing waste in the unit. However, the council continued to dispose old stock dumped at Santhepete there itself without following the norms. Irrespective of the notice, the CMC continued with the work, attracting the wrath of the board. The board issued a notice again and called the officers concerned for an enquiry before the board’s chairman Lakshman on March 13. CMC president Anil Kumar, Commissioner Nagabhushan and two engineers, besides the complainant attended the enquiry. The board, after hearing the CMC’s version, concluded that garbage disposal should be stopped and the rules be followed. It is said that the CMC had already spent a few lakhs for disposing the waste and now the work has been stopped following KSPCB’s direction.
