Panel to look into proposal on dumping inert waste in Bhatti mines

Members of the Ridge Management Board (RMB) Friday decided to form an expert panel to study a proposal made by the South MCD for dumping “inert material” in Bhatti mines at Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary. The committee will get a month to assess the proposal and submit a report to the Board, as per officials at the meeting of the RMB.

“It has been claimed this inert material is waste in the form of soil and is not chemically active… the committee will study… the impact it can have if it is dumped in the mines,” a board member said.

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Officials said SDMC is seeking permission to dump this material in 3 former mining pits in the sanctuary and one outside it.

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In 2019, NGT had rejected a plea by the three MCDs seeking permission to dump “inert” waste from landfills in the mines. DU professor C R Babu, who heads Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems, said the proposal is “ecologically disastrous”.

SDMC commissioner Gyanesh Bharti did not respond to calls and messages.