Okhla residents and environmentalists are opposing Timarpur-Okhla Waste to Energy plant’s move to earn carbon credit, alleging that the company has allegedly submitted a false report of emissions standards in United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC).
Environmentalist Gopal Krishna said waste to energy operational plant since 2012 is using unapproved Chinese incinerator technology, which could become the reason of chemical explosion at landfill site.
Also, residents are appalled at the report that the plant - located close to the residential areas with a few hospitals, schools and university around -is waiting for the recommendations from National Clean Development Mechanism Authority (NCDMA), Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF).
Dr Subharta Bose, chairman, NCDMA told The Pioneer that we are examining the report and the procedure will take time. “Although there is no big role of the NCDMA after given the approval to host waste to energy plant but our mechanism is very transparent,” said Dr Bose.
It is understood that the company has applied for carbon credit in October -2015 for the second time. According to environmentalists, the waste to energy plant has violated the Kyoto Protocol (KP) set by UNFCCC.
Claiming that Okhla Waste to Energy plant is not constructed in accordance with the recommended RDF technology, Okhla residents, including environmentalists have written to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to shut down the plant and as the plant is not working as per Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) standards due to which functioning of plant emit harmful gases. Recently, China too has closed a plant built on the same technology, said activists.
“This plant is situated in the green belt which is contrary to Master Plan of Delhi and also violet Environment Protection Act 1986,” said Krishna.
While explaining about the technology error, he explained that proposal to construct plant was based on RDF incineration technology and was advanced by the company and law officers of previous Central and State Governments.
“The functioning of this plant is not relevant and does not fulfill the purpose, it is using the technology which was never ever mentioned at the time of submitting the project proposal or in its (Environment Impact Assessment) EIA reports,” said the environmentalist.
Dr Kafel Ahmad, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Jamia Millia Islamia said the plant is poorly planned and is situated very close to the residential areas.
“The locals stand the risk in the event of any chemical reaction in the plant. In this case, the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) has not been done. The plant either should be relocated or shut down,” said Ahmad.
“Global experience demonstrates without any dispute that incinerator based WTE plants do not resolve the issue of non-availability of land and landfill sites. This experience also shows that energy from municipal waste is not produced at any lesser price in fact it is more expensive,” said Krishna.
To buttress his stand, he cited an incident in China. “In August 2015, 173 people, many of them firefighters, were killed in a chemical explosion in the port of Tianjin.