NGT seeks UP govt's report on dump yard near school
(Sourced from PTI)
The National Green Tribunal has sought a report from UP government on a plea filed by a private school opposing setting up of a dump yard in Sitapur district on the ground that it was a health hazard. A bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed UP's Principal Secretary (Urban Development) to submit a report on the issue within two weeks.
NGT was hearing a plea filed by Sitapur-based Mother's Pride Public School seeking quashing of an order passed by District Magistrate of Sitapur in the matter of dumping of garbage at City Waste Garbage Dump Yard in violation of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. The plea opposed the dumping ground, saying that 800 students will be adversely affected if the site wasn't shifted.
"As per paragraph (A) (vii) of the schedule, the landfill has to be 200m away from habitation," the plea said. "In the present case, it is within 200m of the school. Sub-paragraph (ix) of the said schedule provides that a buffer zone of no development has to be maintained around the site which has not been done," it added.
"Paragraph B provides that landfill has to be fenced or hedged which has also not been done. It is submitted that in view of above, the matter may have to be reconsidered and in the alternative adequate precautions need to be taken," the plea said. The school also filed a petition before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court.
District Magistrate rejected the grievance of the applicant with the observation that the solid waste management plant couldn't be shifted to another site. The order of DM also stated that site was selected in a meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh.
