We want to bring in your  kind notice about  the  grievances of the residents of Trans Ghaghar sectors (Panchkula Extension) with regard to dumping of solid waste of Panchkula and setting up of Solid Waste Management Plant in forest area of Village Jhuriwala, Panchkula (Haryana). Earlier there was dumping of solid waste in Sector-23 Panchkula from almost last 20 years, then in the year 2021, the dumping of solid waste  shifted to forest area of Village Jhuriwala i.e. approx 800 metres far way from previous dumping ground without any proper planning and without considering the grievances of the residents of Trans Ghaghar area and other environmental factors. 

Interstingly, no environmental clearance has been obtained by the Municipal Corporation Panchkula to dump solid waste at the proposed site in Village Jhuriwala, Panchkula and neither has any permission been granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. This site is on the Panchkula-Yamuna Nagar National Highway and is also just 140 mtrs away from the boundary of the declared wildlife sanctuary [Khol Hai Raitan Wildlife Sanctuary popularly known as the Morni Wildlife Sanctuary]. The said site is most ill-suited for dumping of solid waste as well as solid waste management plant and will endanger not only the environment and the endangered species within the declared wildlife sanctuary being just 140 mtrs away from its boundary, but also our lives (more  than  30000 people ) as it is less than 500 mtrs away from the residential areas of Panchkula.

The present dumping site was earlier chosen for setting up an Integrated Solid Waste Management Plant and conditional environmental clearance was accorded by the MoEFCC on 1.3.2013. This environmental clearance expired without a brick being laid for the project. The fresh application submitted by the Municipal Corporation Panchkula to obtain environmental clearance for using the proposed site for an Integrated Solid Waste Management Plant has been considered by the Expert Appraisal Committee (Infra-2) of the MoEFCC and a site visit was undertaken by it’s Sub-Committee on 28.5.2022. The Sub-Committee in it’s report inter-alia found that :

“A. This site is not suitable for the establishment of IMSWF, as per the criteria laid out in relevant GOI guidelines.

B.    Seeing the importance of environmental conservation, it will not be proper to set up an IMSWF site and plant in a natural forest with rich biodiversity adjacent to a wildlife sanctuary. Moreover, the area also receives natural water channels from a nearby undulating watershed having rich forests of the wildlife sanctuary. It will be in the fitness of things to find a suitable site which can be located taking resort to cluster approach for setting up solid waste management plant (refer to: https://cpcb.nic.in/uploads/MSW/Action_plan.pdf

C.    There seems to be discrepancies in the forest clearance granted earlier. This needs investigation.

D.    There are violations of the environmental laws and of guidelines of Swachh Bharat Mission, Municipal Solid Waste Manual.

E.    As per the latest order of NGT dated 17.09.2021, the matter is to be first considered by “CPCB, State PCB and Chief Wildlife Warden, Haryana. Chief Wildlife Warden, Haryana will be the nodal agency for coordination and compliance.”

F.    Latest order of the Supreme court declaring ESZ of a minimum 1 km for all protected areas, makes this site unfit for solid waste management. The report of this committee is awaited.”

Thereafter, in it’s meeting held on 14.6.2022 the Expert Appraisal Committee (Infra-2) recommended the findings of the Sub-Committee for further necessary action.

 Thus, it is clear that the Municipal Corporation Panchkula has not been granted environmental clearance for using the present  site for an Integrated Solid Waste Management Plant. In the absence of environmental clearance, the Municipal Corporation Panchkula cannot use the Jhuriwala site for indiscriminate dumping of solid waste as is being done since the past over a year. Any usage of the Jhuriwala  site for dumping solid waste without obtaining environment clearance and other approvals is in violation of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, the Notification dated 14.6.2006, the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and directions issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and the National Green Tribunal, New Delhi. This site is not suitable for dumping solid waste or for being used for setting up a solid waste management plant. However, despite the Haryana State Pollution Control Board also having issued notices to the Municipal Corporation Panchkula, the dumping of solid waste at this site is still continuing. Sir, dumping ground  near  the  residential area may create many health and other problems like underground water  contamination, spread  of  diseases , severe  air  pollution  due  to frequent  fires at  dumping  sites.