the goan I network
PANAJI
The National Green Tribunal has directed the State Government to designate at least three major towns or cities in the state and at least three panchayats in each district as ‘model’ towns when it comes to implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 within the next six months.
Issuing directions to the State Chief Secretary Parimal Rai who was asked to personally remain present and who himself argued the state’s case on April 10 also directed that the rest of the state be made compliant to the Solid Waste Management Rules within one year.
“At least three major cities or towns in the State and at least three panchayats in every district may be notified on the website within two weeks from today as model cities/towns/villages which will be made fully compliant within next six months,” the NGT bench of Chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel, K Ramakrishnan judicial member
and Dr Nagin Nanda Expert Member ruled.
“The remaining cities, towns and village panchayats of the State may be made fully compliant in respect of environmental norms within one year. A quarterly report be furnished by the Chief Secretary, every three months. First such report shall be furnished by July 15, 2019,” the NGT ruled.
The Tribunal also ordered that an estimate of value of environmental degradation and cost of restoration be prepared and compensation be planned and recovered from polluters for environmental restoration and restitution on that basis.
Earlier the Chief Secretary listed out steps taken by the State government to comply with the Solid Waste Management Rules.
He argued before the NGT that a total of 1.57 lakh tonnes of open accumulated dumps/legacy waste has been remediated, that a common solid waste management facility for 100 tons pe day has been set up in 2016 at Calangute and its capacity will be enhanced to 250 tons.
He said that the State generates 170 metric tons plastic waste per annum and a plastic fuel plant is under construction and will be completed by July, 2019. He also claimed that there are 11 polluted river stretches (all Goa’s rivers) but that the action plans for their remediation have been prepared and are being considered
The groundwater table in the entire state is very high ranging between 2 M to 10M in post monsoon season and lowers down by 2M to 5M in pre monsoon. There is no proposal in the action plan as water table is high as also wastewater from casino vessels along the river stretch is being monitored.
With regard to air pollution he said that no city of the state is falling in 102 cities identified by CPCB as non-attainment. “However, there are reports that particularly the port areas are indicating air pollution,” he said.
The NGT noted that while steps may certainly be in the right direction still much need to be accomplished.
“The steps taken for plastic waste management and bio-medical waste management to be inadequate. Unless such steps are taken, the unsatisfactory state of environment in the country in general and in the State in particular may not improve,” the NGT noted.
“The Chief Secretary may consider having qualified and experienced environment experts in his Secretariat who may not only facilitate him to monitor the progress on each issue but, will also help to device a system of monitoring and surveillance,” he said.
“The Chief Secretary may personally monitor the progress, at least once in a month, with all the District Magistrates. The District Magistrates or other officers may be imparted requisite training The District Magistrates may monitor the status of compliance of environmental norms, at least once in two weeks and a performance audit of functioning of all regulatory bodies may be got conducted and remedial measures be taken within six months,” the Chief Secretary said.
The NGT had earlier directed State Governments and Union Territories shall prepare an action plan in terms of the Rules of 2016 and ordered Chief Secretaries of each state to personally remain present to update about the measures undertaken.
Chief Secretaries of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Bihar, Odisha, Chandigarh, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Gujarat have already appeared before this Tribunal.
NGT DIRECTIONS
1 At least three major cities or towns in the State and at least three panchayats in every district may be notified on the website within two weeks from today as model cities/towns/villages which will be made fully compliant within next six months
2 The NGT also directed that the rest of the state be made compliant to the Solid Waste Management Rules within one year
