Locals of Sheeshambada warned to start an indefinite period protest outside the chief minister’s residence if the government does not take any decision soon regarding the dumping of the garbage by Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) without No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board (UEPPCB).
According to one of the locals Satpal Dhaniya, “We are protesting for about three months now but there is no response from the administration. If the government does not take any decision soon then we’ll shift our indefinite period protest to outside the chief minister’s residence.”
He also added that in addition to the indefinite period protest, locals will also start a public awareness campaign through which the public will be made aware about the harassment of the locals of Sheeshambada in the name of garbage dumping in the solid waste management and recycling plant and how government is operating the plant without any NOC from Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board (UEPPCB).
About the operation of plant without NOC, deputy municipal commissioner Rohitash Sharma said, “We have applied to UEPPCB and whatever queries the board had concerning the waste management plant, we have responded to the same. Hopefully we’ll get the NOC in a few days.”
According to the project manager of Sheeshambada solid waste management and recycling plant MA Saify, the Leachate Treatment Plant (LTP) is fully functional and proper water filtration is being done through it.
Concerning the foul smell and germs due to garbage dumping, Saify said that organic enzymes are sprayed everyday in every part of the plant and there is nothing like foul smell in the area.
He added that the locals have made their mind to get rid of the plant in spite of having no issue in the area caused by the waste management plant.However, the locals are consistently alleging the occurrence of foul smell and improper treatment of leachate by the management of the plant. According to one of the protesting locals Prem Singh Negi, “What is the purpose of setting up LTP when the leachate is getting mixed with ground water? The leachate has spread in the whole area which has converted the area into a marshy land.
How are they going to treat it with the help of LTP?” Talking about the foul smell he said that the stench of the garbage is everywhere in the area and even Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) assured the locals last month that there would be no unpleasant smell after January 31 but the situation is still same.
It is pertinent to mention here that Sheeshambada residents have been alleging for past few months that the plant is causing several health problems in addition to noise pollution and foul smell in the area concerning which they have met Dehradun mayor, municipal commissioner and chief environment officer of UEPPCB but no decision has been taken yet in their favour.