Gurugram: The environmentalists have objected to a dump site on the Gurgaon-Faridabad border which is polluting the Aravalis taking over at least two acres of seasonal Ghata lake but this concern fell on deaf ears as the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon said that it cannot and will not prevent anybody from dumping waste in the Aravalis because its hands are tied because of a court case regarding the construction and demolition waste treatment plant that has been planned.
Sudhir Chauhan, senior town planner of MCG told The Times of India, "Since environmentalists approached the National Green Tribunal in June and managed to get a stay on the plant, we were left with no option but to allow people to dump waste anywhere.This is why we haven't taken any step against waste-dumping at Ghata despite several complaints."
As no alternative arrangement could be made for the dumping of waste, people are free to dump garbage wherever they wait till the ban is lifted."
The government of Haryana wants to build the plant over 55 acres at Basai but the environmentalists have raised flags and said that the area is a wetland which is also a home to many bird species.
They have said that this will destroy Basia's ecology.
Meanwhile, the construction waste has increased in volume due to large-scale construction is continuing everywhere, especially on the Aravalis where the dumping site is located.
This site is a major concern as it has started contaminating the groundwater in that region since the treatment plant had been defunct since 2013.
Concerned residents raised the issue and approached MCG, who said that there was nothing that they could do.
"It is shocking that the MCG refused to help us," said Vaishali Chandra Rana, an environmentalist."
"The latest dumpsite has come up in the middle of a green belt in the Aravali foothills, at the slope of Ghata where the rainwater runoff is maximum. This is disastrous for the environment," she added.
The local residents told the TImes of India that real estate developers recently started dumping waste at the site.
Sharmila Kaushik, an environmentalist, also a resident, said, "Ghata is very eco-sensitive. The dumpsite is close to the jheel. It is not only causing air pollution but is also polluting groundwater. MCG should learn from the Ghazipur mishap that took place in Delhi a few days ago."
As per the NGT, dumping waste in Aravalis is an offense.
In 2016, the environmental regulatory body said that if anybody was found dumping waste in Aravalis or anywhere near it will be fined Rs 5,000 as a penalty.
NGT has also ordered the police personnel to fully comply with its rules.
