Govt faces ₹ 1 cr fine for burning waste
POLLUTION Irrigation and flood control dept asked why it should not be prosecuted, fined ₹1cr for open burning along Shahdara drain
NEW DELHI: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued a show cause notice against the Delhi government’s irrigation and flood control (I&FC) department for not being able to prevent dumping and burning of waste along the Shahdara drain.
The department has been asked to site reasons why a fine of ₹1 crore should not be imposed and prosecution should not be initiated against it.
“A show cause notice has been served to I&FC department as to why the department should not be held responsible for open burning and dumping of waste in Shahdara drain, why an environment compensation charge of ₹1 crore should not be levied and prosecution should not be initiated against the department for non compliance of directions,” said a senior official of the CPCB.
The notice was sent on Monday, the same day on which the National Green Tribunal had asked the Delhi government to deposit ₹25 crore with the CPCB for their failure to curb the problem of pollution in the city.
A joint inspection team comprising officials from the union government, Delhi government and municipal bodies had visited the spots in the first week of November. The team found that industrial and domestic waste were being dumped and burnt along several stretches of the drain.
The department had earlier been issued challans by the East Delhi Municipal Corporation.
“While the team found at least three such incidents on November 4 and 5, local residents have also lodged complaints against such dumping and burning of waste too,” said a CPCB official.
Open dumping and burning of any kind of waste is illegal in Delhi as per directions of the National Green Tribunal and a penalty of ₹5,000 could be imposed on the violator.
“We have not seen the notice yet. But we will reply to the pollution board once we go through it,” said an official of Shahdara flood circle of Delhi government’s irrigation department.
This is however not the first time that the CPCB has issued show cause notices to any agency or government department. Last week a similar notice was issued to the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited after inspection teams spotted dumping and burning of waste in Patparganj.
Prior to notices were also issued to the National Highway Authority of India and Northern Railways.