Visva Bharati, Birbhum administration under NGT scanner over waste management in varsity town area

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday imposed fines on Visva-Bharati University and the Birbhum district administration over alleged lapses in solid and liquid waste management in the central university town, a day before the commencement of the heritage Poush Mela. The tribunal’s directive, however, is related to overall waste management on the Visva-Bharati campus area and adjoining localities with no bearing on the ‘Poush Mela’ to be held from December 23-28, fair organisers said.

The court had earlier sought a report detailing arrangements for the control and disposal of solid and liquid wastes on the campus town, but imposed fines on the central varsity and Birbhum district administration and ordered them to appear in person. Environmentalist Subhas Dutta had filed a case in the NGT in 2016 over pollution issues linked to the handling of solid and liquid waste by Visva Bharati.

In 2017 and again in 2020, the NGT had directed Visva Bharati to ensure adequate arrangements for the management and disposal of waste, but those directions were not complied with, the court felt. In the past, the NGT directed Visva Bharati authorities and the West Bengal Government to submit an action taken report about solid-liquid waste management on the campus area.

Visva-Bharati’s spokesperson Atig Ghosh said, “We will fully comply with the NGT’s directives about waste management.” On the eve of the fair, West Bengal Pollution Control Board officials visited the venue to monitor waste disposal arrangements and sprayed water using sprinklers.

The Poush Mela — held jointly by Visva Bharati and Santiniketan Trust — will have over 1,400 stalls, organisers said.