MPCB warns KCB for flouting waste rules,imposes fine

The consent is to be renewed every year and ‘specifies whether the cantonment board had been disposing of solid waste scientifically’,officials said.

KCB executive engineer,Arun G Godbole,admitted that the consent was not renewed. He said the board had requested MPCB to waive the penalty.

Besides following the official norm of renewing consent,the KCB has to make sure it has adequate sewage treatment facilities. Officials say a sewage treatment facility around Range Hill Market slaughterhouse was not functional. Godbole said it will be functional soon. “We have called bids and will shortly make the sewage treatment facility functional,” he added.

Vilas Khandode,Health Superintendent,KCB,said there were enough sewage treatment facilities within the cantonment. “We have a sewage treatment facility at East Kirkee and another at Kirkee Bazar. There is no need for additional facilities,” he said.

Vice-president of the Shiv Sena’s Khadki unit,Sachin Aher,said the MPCB should initiate disciplinary action against officials concerned for their ‘failure to renew the consent’. “The officials cannot be so callous and responsibility should be fixed for the mistake. We have brought the matter to the notice of Chief Executive Officer (CEO),” he said.

KCB officials,however,said the engineering department was to blame. Khandode said the renewal process was to be taken up by the engineering wing of the cantonment board. Godbole said a letter has been written to the MPCB seeking early renewal.