Agencies submit ‘action taken’ report on Kaushambi pollution
GHAZIABAD: A number of Ghaziabad agencies have submitted their ’action taken’ reports to the district administration after a meeting last week with Kaushambi residents in response to a contempt petition filed by the Kaushambi’s apex residents’ body, the Kaushambi Apartment Residents’ Welfare Association (KARWA), relating to the polluted surroundings.
“The reports will now be submitted before the National Green Tribunal (NGT),” said Rajesh Kumar Yadav, additional district magistrate (finance & revenue).
During a recent meeting held by Ghaziabad district magistrate Ritumaheshwari,karwamembers had highlighted 13 different points. The locality has nearly 10,000 residents and houses 22 high-rise towers adjacent to Delhi’s Anand Vihar where PM10 and PM2.5 generally range above the permissible limits.
As one of the responses to the meeting, the officials of UP State Road Transport Corporation have said that they are operating 77 CNG buses from Kaushambi ISBT while other buses operate from Anand Vihar. They stated that 50 buses adhering to BS-IV norms were procured and future buses will be of the same standard.
The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority had recently said that Ghaziabad along with Anand Vihar and Bhiwadi are one of the most polluted areas in NCR. After a recent Supreme Court direction, 137 industries in Ghaziabad using pet coke and furnace oil will have to switch to alternate fuel.
“We have four major issues pending in the present application. There has to be an action plan against diesel buses. We had sought a noise barrier but it is yet to be erected. The solid waste scenario is in shambles. The sewage water is still flowing in storm water drains of Kaushambi,” said V.K. Mittal, president, KARWA.
Kaushambi’s pollution woes are further complicated by nearby ISBT, Anand Vihar, the landfill site at Ghazipur and also the site IV industrial area in Ghaziabad. The air and noise pollution here are high due to plying of heavy vehicles throughout the day.
The Ghaziabad municipal corporation said that it has levied a fine of ₹5,000 each on 37 people in connection with instances of burning of waste.