Maharashtra: For damaging the environment, Rs 184-cr fine for Virar civic body

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board MPCB on the direction of the National Green Tribunal NGT has levied a fine of Rs 184 crore on VasaiVirar City Municipal Corporation VVCMC for adversely affecting the environment The civic body has done nothing to dispose of tonnes of legacy waste lying unattended since 2013Above all there is no sewage treatment plant STP in the VasaiVirar area and sewage generated in Virar and Nalasopara City is discharged in the Vaitarna creek whereas sewage generated from Vasai and part of Nalasopara City is discharged in the Vasai creek said an environmental activist Charan Bhatt who had approached NGT in 2021ldquoThe VVCMC has been only collecting solid waste and dumping it at Gokhiware Vasai Tonnes of solid waste are piling up every day but civic officials are doing nothing to dispose of it The residents of Sativali Valiv Gokhiware Evershine and other localities within a fivekm radius of this dumping ground are facing health issues such as asthma skin disease TB and other lungrelated issues because of the release of hazardous gases like methane and sulphur from the dumping groundrdquo Bhatt told middayldquoI had made several complaints to the environment department and VVCMC but they did not act So in 2021 I approached NGT and filed an original application petitionrdquo he added The application was filed with prayers that a direction be issued to the VVCMC to install STPs and restrain itself from making any developmental activities and constructions till the required STPs are installedAlso read Mumbai Nearly 7000 Lord Ganesh idols immersed in city on 2nd day of GaneshotsavThe VVCMC has informed the NGT that they have reserved 12 locations to install STPs ldquoOnly the areas have been identified as only one STP at Bolinj has been installed in the VVCMC areardquo alleged BhattSewage discharged into sealdquoThe untreated sewage is discharged into different drainsnullahs across the city which meet either with the Arabian Sea through Vasai creek Vaitarna river or directly to the Arabian Sea The treatment at STPs is also not proper as the STP outlet at Bolinj is not meeting the prescribed standardsrdquo alleged Bhatt adding ldquoThe discharge of wastewater into water bodies in the VVCMCrsquos jurisdiction is polluting the environmentrdquoA pit created to collect the leachate from solid waste at the dumping groundAround 650 metric tonnes of solid waste is collected every day in VasaiVirar and Nalasopara The VVCMC installed two trommel machines to process fresh waste but both have been lying defunct for months at Gokhiware A civic source at the dumping ground told midday that the fresh waste cannot be processed in the monsoon seasonMeanwhile Bhatt alleged that the VVCMC officials have created huge pits at the dumping ground to collect the leachate from the heap of solid waste ldquoInstead of clearing the unattended legacy waste the VVCMC officials have dug huge pits to collect the leachate from solid waste This further pollutes the environmentrdquo he added ldquoI had to approach the NGT because the VVCMC has zero policy for protecting the environmentrdquo he addedCivic official speaksWhen contacted Dr Charushila Pandit deputy municipal commissioner said ldquoThe municipal corporation has estimated that there is a total of 15 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste lying Gokhiware dumping ground and every day 650 metric tonnes of fresh garbage are generated within the jurisdiction of the VVCMC No process has been carried out to dispose of the solid waste since 2013 Now a Pimpribased company Sai Ganesh has been given the tender to dispose of the legacy waste and we assume that it will be done in the next two yearsrdquoNGT order ignoredThe defunct trommel machines at GokhiwareTaking note of the dumping and sewage issues on May 3 the NGT passed an order stating the lsquoamount of environmental compensation would also be calculated by the MPCB from January 27 2022 till datersquo ldquoWe direct the MPCB to conclude this process within a period of one month and direct VVCMC to deposit the said amount within a period of one month thereafter The amount so realised shall be utilised for the improvement of the environment in the local areardquo reads the orderldquoIf the amount so calculated to be levied is not paid coercive steps would be taken against the Project Proponent including the prosecution of the officersrdquo it further reads When contacted SubRegional Officer Ashok Katole said ldquoWe have calculated the compensation of R184 crore and informed the VVCMC to pay the environment department The court has also been apprised of the matter But the civic body is yet to make any paymentrdquo2021Year activist approached NGT