The Central Zone bench (Bhopal) of National Green Tribunal (NGT) comprising of Justice Dalip Singh and expert member Satyvan Singh Garbyal has directed Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC) to close its Sarona trenching site and seek 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC) from Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for proposed Sakri site.
The NGT has also fixed March 1, 2017 for further hearing on the issue.
Notably, environmentalist Nitin Singhvi had filed a Public Interest litigation (PIl) at the Central bench of NGT in this regard.
As per the petitioner, RMC informed NGT that it has invited tender for preparing Detailed Project Report (DPR) for closure of Sarona garbage dumping zone which will enable floating of tender by February 1, 2017.
To prevent drainage of waste water from trenching ground to Kharun river, construction of coffer wall has also been completed by RMC at the site.
Notably, NGT had rejected RMC’s newly selected dumping site at Sakri as it is within 10 kilometres from the Swami Vivekananda Airport under Solid Waste Management 2016 Rules which mentions that no solid waste treatment plant can be built within 20 kilometers periphery of the airport.
However, with special permission from DGCA, a plant can be built at a lesser distance, inform rules.