Advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, who is representing the petitioner, told TOI, “Since the civic body has declared it will take two years to develop a new landfill site, the tribunal has asked BMC to chalk out a complete action plan for waste management at the current landfill site. The NGT has given directions in the wake of the health hazards faced by the residents of Bakerganj, where the landfill is overflowing.. The tribunal has also directed the municipal commissioner to state a fixed time to address the problem and give complete details of the action plan which is to be undertaken by civic body to tackle the same. This includes — details of total solid waste generation, breakup of the solid waste in terms of bio-degradable and recyclable waste and the process adopted by the corporation to dispose of the waste generated.”

Bansal added, “Though the civic body’s duty is to segregate the waste, BMC has not been doing it in a scientific manner thereby, resulting in air pollution and contamination of water in the area. The tribunal has now directed the authorities concerned to curb the ongoing pollution which is the result of the existing overflowing landfill site in Bakerganj.”

The matter will now be heard at NGT on February 9, 2018.

Speaking with TOI, municipal commissioner RK Shrivastava said, “We are planning to set up a temporary waste treatment plant at the existing landfill site in Bakerganj. Setting up a temporary treatment plant does not require an NOC from the departments concerned and, therefore, it is expected that the temporary plant will be set up by February 6. This will ease the burden on the current landfill site as the waste will be segregated and treated there. The tendering is under process.

“Moreover, for the solid waste treatment plant, land has already been finalized at Faridpur road and we have also received ‘no objection’ certificates from the irrigation, Air Force and forest departments. The work will soon be undertaken,” he added.