Aafrin Kidwai 
Picture credit: Vortexrealm, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2965770
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) dismissed an appeal filed by the Bainguinim Citizens Forum against the environmental clearance (EC) granted to the Solid Waste Management Facility at Bainguinim taluka in North Goa.
The Goa Waste Management Corporation had granted EC to the facility on January 6 for the establishment of 250 tonnes per day (TPD) waste management facility.
The appeal stated that the project site was against the siting criteria laid down under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. It claimed the nearest habitation was only 35 meters away from the facility, against the required distance of 200-500 meters.
The NGT in its ruling on September 24 said scientific waste management was needed for the protection of the environment. The site in question was identified in 2006 and the land was acquired by the state. The move was upheld by the state High Court.
The buffer zone was maintained and public hearing duly held. There was nothing to show that there was any construction that was pre-existing when the site was selected. No complaint against violation of EC conditions had been made.
Read the full order here.
Picture credit: Alex Marshall 2004, Clarke Energy Ltd, Mixed municipal waste, CC BY-SA 2.5
