Ludhiana dumpyard fire: NGT takes cognisance, issues notice to Punjab chief secretary

The NGT, in the notice issued to Punjab's Chief Secretary, has asked for reasons that led to the failure of the state apparatus in preventing the fire and why accountability of the state not be fixed under section 15 of the NGT Act.

Disposing of the case, the NGT directed the NHAI to construct an 80-metre-long elevated bridge over the lake and provide as many box-type vents with suggested width in the remaining area in consultation with the irrigation department to facilitate the free flow of water.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday took strong exception to a recent media report about a fire near a garbage dump in Ludhiana — in which seven people were killed — and slapped a notice on the Punjab state government.

The NGT, in the notice issued to Punjab’s Chief Secretary, has asked for reasons that led to the failure of the state apparatus in preventing the fire and why accountability of the state not be fixed under section 15 of the NGT Act. The green commission also asked the monitoring committee to furnish a report preferably within 15 days, and before next hearing, May 26. The green body said that there appears to be a failure of the authorities of state of Punjab in remediating the garbage dump site, as per mandate under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, and as per the right of a citizen to have access to clean environment.

The NGT order, issued by the tribunal’s principal Bench led by Justice Adrash Kumar Goel, also asked for a comprehensive plan to handle such situations at all locations where legacy waste is lying unremediated, as well as for a plan for solution with timelines, keeping in mind past directions of the Supreme Court, statutory rules and orders of this tribunal.

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NGT order says, “We also request the monitoring committee, constituted by this tribunal to monitor compliance of certain orders in Punjab, headed by Justice Jasbir Singh, former Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, to furnish a factual situation with regard to cause of death, persons responsible for failure, remedial action.”

“The monitoring committee may undertake visit to the site and interact with stake holders. The committee will also be assisted by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), State Pollution Control Board (PCB), and the District Magistrate. The report may be furnished preferably within 15 days by e- mail at judicial-ngt@gov.in. A copy of the report be also given to the Chief Secretary, Punjab, to enable his response,” the order read.

NGT also directed CPCB to collect information about garbage dumpsites from all states/UTs in respect of atleast Metro cities and issue statutory directions/guidelines for preventing such fires , specifying serious consequences of delay in dealing with the issue.

NGT said that the matter was taken up by it in light of news published in The Indian Express on April 20 captioned “7 charred to death in fire near Ludhiana dump site”. Most of the deceased belonged to a family of rag pickers, who had been living near the site for the last ten years.

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National Green Tribunal (NGT)