The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has reserved its verdict after the final hearing in case pertaining to waste-to-energy plant of Timarpur Okhla Waste Management Company Private limited owned by Jindal group.
The NGT has asked the Jindal company whether, the plant in question is a Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) plantIJ Is it one of the five Supreme Court approved pilot projects based on biomethanation technologyIJ It inferred that the plant was neither a RDF plant for which approval was taken nor is it a Supreme Court approved pilot project. The plant is situated in the vicinity of Okhla Bird Sanctuary, public institutions and residential colonies. (Copy of the order is with The Pioneer). In a major hearing on the controversial waste to energy plant, the green body on January 16 has asked various questions related to scientific techniques used for the disposal of garbage.
In an application number 22 (THC) of 2013 between Sukhdev Vihar Residents’ Welfare Association verses State of NCT of Delhi, NGT’s principal Bench of Justice Kumar, Judicial Member, Raghuvendra S Rathore, Expert Member, Bikram Singh Sajwan and expert Ajay Deshpande passed order.
In the orders of the Tribunal Supplementary matter, NGT said, “learned counsel appearing for the parties submitted that the original project was with regard to Waste Processing Plant at Timarpur and Okhla. (RDF) was to be generated at Timarpur and pallets were to be brought to Okhla to be used as a fuel for generation of power.”
“The Timarpur Project never took off. In fact, it never was established as proposed. Boi-methanisation did notcommence as wet/green waste from Azadpur was notavailable to the plant. It is also commonly agreed that principal challengeof the Applicant to the issue of change in technology isthat the plant, to which the Environmental Clearance,consent to operate, establish was granted was to the process waste/bio-methanate/ RDF and energy which waschanged without amendment of Environmental Clearance,” NGT remarked.