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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has expressed its concerns about the inaction and evasive responses of officials in Gurgaon regarding the alleged use of diesel generators (DG sets) and the dumping of waste in the city. The tribunal ordered officials of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), Pollution Control Board, and Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) to appear before it to address the issue.
The order was made after hearing a petition filed by a Gurgaon resident, Raman Sharma, who alleged that 10 DG sets were being run from a green belt in Malibu Town, Sector 47, and that construction and demolition waste was regularly dumped in the residential colony.
The bench of judicial magistrate Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member Afroz Ahmed criticized the joint committee formed by the tribunal to look into the petition, stating that their responses were vague and evasive. The bench also noted that action taken to pick up and treat construction and demolition (C&D) waste came late, and the pollution department did not impose environmental compensation on the MCG for doing so.
The C&D waste was removed after more than six months and remained lying for almost two years within the knowledge of the Municipal Corporation. The bench further criticized the insensitivity, inaction, and negligence of the concerned officers and submission of evasive and vague replies, stating that it raises serious concerns about implementation of environmental laws and discharge of constitutional/statutory obligations by the State and its instrumentalities.
The joint committee's report, filed in August 2022, was also cited by the tribunal, where DTCP had "accepted" that permission was not given to run DG sets from Malibu Town's green belt. However, the forest department, in the same report, took a "contradictory stand" and said it received a request by DTCP for "no objection" to placing generators in the green belt.
It is worth mentioning that from October 1, 2022, the use of diesel generators was barred in the National Capital Region (NCR), according to norms set by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). However, despite this ban, the alleged use of DG sets continued in Gurgaon, which is a matter of serious concern for NGT.
MCG commissioner PC Meena, Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) member-secretary Pradeep Kumar, and DTCP director TL Satyaprakash have been summoned to appear before NGT on March 28. The bench considers their presence to be essential for the production of the relevant record pertaining to the matters under adjudication. MCG commissioner PC Meena stated that the corporation has complied with NGT's directions and has already removed the C&D waste, which was lying in an unauthorized area.
In conclusion, the NGT's order highlights the need for accountability of concerned officers and officials for implementing environmental laws and fulfilling their statutory obligations. It also emphasizes the importance of addressing environmental concerns promptly and taking necessary measures to prevent further harm to the environment.
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