SC quashes NGT order seeking plant closure: Supreme Court allows garbage processing plant to continue in Pune

“We direct the PMC to ensure that all the suggestions made by NEERI should be strictly complied with. We further direct the installation of the portable compactors with hook mechanisms by December 31 so as to ensure that the rejected waste does not touch the ground,” it said adding that the PMC was further directed to construct a bitumen road leading up to the waste segregation plant and concretise the reject area so that the clean transfer of waste can be enhanced and the accumulation of water around the plant can be avoided.

“The PMC should construct a shed so as to cover the reject area by December 31 and to carry out plantation with thick density so that there would be a green cover on all sides of the garbage processing plant,” it said while directing the state government to consider the possibility of growing Miyawaki forests to provide green lungs to nearby areas. The NEERI has been directed to conduct an environmental audit of the plant every six months.

In Oct 2020, the NGT had snubbed the PMC for setting up a waste processing plant in Baner on the Pashan-Sus road and directed the civic body to close the plant and shift it to any other location within four months and to use the present site to develop a bio-diversity park.

The PMC in association with Noble Exchange Ltd (NeX) had started a waste to energy plant at Survey number 48 on Pashan-Sus Road. Citizens had complained about the foul stench emanating from the plant. The residents filed an application in the NGT, wherein the bench observed that the plant had been violating all norms of environmental laws and that it needed to be shut immediately.

The PMC had set up a plant a few years ago on reserved land for the purpose, and after that around 15 apartments and a few housing societies had come up near it.
“It can thus be seen that the 2016 Solid Waste Management Rules give preference to the on-site processing of the waste. It also emphasises preference to be given to decentralised processing to minimise transportation cost and environmental impact,” the Supreme Court said.

It added a submission was made that 48 such plants were commissioned throughout the city, wherein the non-compacted organic waste was segregated to remove any non-biodegradable material and the organic residue was crushed to make a slurry. This was then transported to a site in Talegaon Dabhade, where raw biogas was generated from the slurry. The biogas produced was used to provide fuel for public transport buses.

“The closure of the plant will be against the larger public interest and the organic waste generated in the western part of the city Aundh, Baner, Kothrud, Sinhagad road and Katra will be required to be taken all the way throughout the city to Hadapsar which is in the eastern part of the city. This will undoubtedly lead to foul odour and nuisance to the public,” it said.