NGT calls out GHMC over waste disposal

Panel has asked civic bidy to quantify city’s sewage

Calling out the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) for failing to attend any of the meetings of joint committee appointed by National Green Tribunal (NGT), the committee tasked the civic body with the task of identifying the amount of sewage generated within the civic body’s limits. The GHMC also has to ensure that no solid waste or garbage makes its way into any water body within the twin cities.

In its report submitted to NGT on Wednesday, the joint committee said despite being invited, no one attended its meetings from the corporation, which is responsible for sewage and solid waste management in Hyderabad. No GHMC official, including its commissioner Lokesh Kumar, could be reached for a clarification on the issue.

The joint committee has now asked the civic body to quantify the sewage generated in the entire city and submit a timebound action plan for treatment of entire sewage generated within the city limits.

It described the GHMC’s tasks as:

To ensure full-fledged operation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) including door-to-door collection with segregation of wet and dry waste.

To ensure no solid waste finds its way into water bodies by dumping.

The joint committee has asked Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) to ensure operation of Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs) in a proper manner and avoid calling for tenders without tapping the pollution at source.

Meanwhile, HMDA has called for global tenders for bio-remediation. The authority has also been tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that the STPs function properly and the treated water is reused.

This is in addition to the responsibility of submitting a time-bound action plan for construction and operation of 17 proposed STPs in the Kukatpally catchment area.

The Irrigation Department will have to ensure that information about Full Tank Level (FTL) is given to departments concerned. The department also needs to take up repairs at the surplus weir near Viceroy Hotel. It will have to upload regularly the status of work carried out by them.

THE IRRIGATION Department will have to ensure that information about Full Tank Level (FTL) is given to departments concerned.