PCB issues show cause notice to Gulmarg Development Authority

Headless PCC - Industries suffering

Irreversible damage to world famous destination’s ecology

*Segregator, incinerator non-functional since Aug 2019

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 9: Taking serious note of brazen violation of National Green Tribunal (NGT) directives on the solid waste disposal, the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Board has issued show cause notice to the Gulmarg Development Authority’s Chief Executive Officer asking him to explain why Environment Compensation under Polluter Pays Principle be not recovered for causing irreversible damage to the ecology of the world famous tourist destination.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Board recently received reports from different quarters about illegal, unscientific and environment unfriendly manner of handling and disposal of municipal solid waste by the Gulmarg Development Authority.
Accordingly, the Regional Director of the Board in Kashmir was asked to verify the veracity of these reports so that necessary action is initiated against the Gulmarg Development Authority for causing irreversible damage to the ecology of the world famous tourist destination.
The Regional Director in his detailed findings dated May 28, 2020 pointed out that un-segregated municipal solid waste is continuously being disposed off unscientifically by the Gulmarg Development Authority. It has also been noticed that the mechanical segregator and incinerator are non-functional and closed since August 2019 in brazen defiance of the directions issued by the National Green Tribunal in Original Application Number 606/2018 and in blatant violation of Municipal Solid Waste Rules, 2016.
While confirming non-functioning of the solid waste treatment facility, the Regional Director has further pointed out that this facility was installed by the Gulmarg Development Authority without the mandatory consent from the Pollution Control Board and littering/ dumping of Municipal Solid Waste is taking place in open area of meadows and forest areas thereby severely disturbing the ecology of the famous tourist destination.
The Pollution Control Board has further noticed that the modus operandi adopted by the Gulmarg Development Authority for handling and disposal of municipal solid waste has put the environment of the area to grave threat besides polluting surface and ground water ecosystem.
Taking serious note of the prevailing situation, the Pollution Control Board has issued show cause notice to the Chief Executive Officer of the Gulmarg Development Authority asking him to explain as to why Environmental Compensation on the basis of Polluter Pays Principle in terms of the directions of the National Green Tribunal be not recovered from him.
“You should also explain as to why you may not be prosecuted under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for blatant violation of the provisions of the Municipal Solid Waste Rules, 2016 and the National Green Tribunal orders”, reads the notice the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR.
“In the event of non receiving a tenable response within the stipulated time-frame the order for recovery of Environmental Compensation as per the prescribed and approved guidelines will become imperative along with initiation of prosecution proceedings in court of law against you without further notice”, the Pollution Control Board has explicitly conveyed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Gulmarg Development Authority.
“It seems that those at the helm of affairs in the Gulmarg Development Authority are not ready to pay serious attention towards protection of environment as even after numerous directions from the High Court they have paid scant attention towards scientific disposal of municipal solid waste”, sources said, adding “if it fails to bring an end to the pollution of environment hefty amount will have to be paid as Environment Compen-sation”.
The Gulmarg Development Authority is the second major body in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir which has been taken to task by the Pollution Control Board for flouting the National Green Tribunal orders. Udhampur Municipal Committee is already under directive to pay crores of rupees as Environment Compensation.
It is pertinent to mention here that the NGT while dealing with a case titled Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti and Another Versus Union of India and Others had decided to levy Environmental Compensation under the ‘Polluter Pays Principle’. The Environment Compensation is worked out in terms of already prepared formula.

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