Mumbai: ‘Shift bio-waste plant immediately’

The National Green Tribunal NGTappointed Joint Action Committee JAC has submitted its action taken report and recommendations regarding the biomedical waste treatment plant in Govandi The committee strongly advocates relocating the plant to Khalapur ldquoas expeditiously as possiblerdquoThe committee also suggests that the relevant local planning authority must allocate a 500 metre buffer zone around the facility in consultation with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board MPCB and the State Urban Development Department UDDThe committee comprising Nischal C scientist lsquoDrsquo at the Central Pollution Control Board CPCB Regional Directorate Sujit Dholam subregional officer MPCBMumbai III and Avanti MayekarmdashNaib Tehsildar Kurla Mulund as a representative of the district magistratemdashvisited the SMS Envoclean common biomedical waste treatment plant CBMWTF on May 17 2023The biomedical waste facility at Govandi last year File picAccording to the revised guidelines of the CPCB on CBWTF it should ideally be situated far from residential and sensitive areas and should have a buffer distance of 500 metres to minimise its impact on these areas However in cases where such land is not available the buffer zone distance may be reduced by the State Pollution Control BoardCommittee SPCBPCC with additional control measures to mitigate adverse effects on the environment and surrounding habitationThe JACrsquos recommendations have already been submitted and a senior BMC official assured that appropriate action would be taken accordingly Speaking to midday Avinash Dhakne the new member secretary of MPCB said ldquoThe talks are on with MIDC for land in Taloja to shift the plant as the environmental clearance for setting up the plant in Khalapur was rejectedrdquoThe NGT intervention came after Govandi and Deonar residents approached the tribunal in April 2022 alleging that the biomedical waste treatment plant in the area worsened tuberculosis TB cases due to pollution They demanded the plantrsquos relocation and the NGT constituted a joint committee to investigate the matterAdvocate Said Alam who is representing the residents and also the complainant expressed dissatisfaction with the inspection process stating that he was not informed about the sampling and investigation conducted in May ldquoBMC and MPCB must expedite the process to shift the CBMWTP The report also advises that it needs to be shifted asap to Khalapur but it might take years to get Environmental Clearance EC since it has been rejected once We demand that the plant be immediately shifted to Taloja The western zone bench should make an interim order on the report and impose a penalty on the BMC for making citizens suffer for so many yearsrdquoOther violations foundDuring the inspection the committee also found violations related to inadequate personal protective equipment PPE for workers handling biomedical waste They directed MPCB to instruct the CBMWTF management to address this issue Furthermore the CBMWTF was found disposing of treated glass bottles to a company without proper permission leading to noncompliance with regulationsRecommendations by the committeepoundCBMWTF should operate at the new facility in Vill Atkargaon Tal Khalapur Dist Raigad once environmental clearance is receivedpoundThe local planning authorityULB should earmark the location of the newly proposed CBMWTF in the development plan remarkspoundEnsure a 500 metre buffer zone around the CBMWTF in consultation with MPCB and the State urban development department UDDpoundMPCB should direct the CBMWTF to provide adequate PPEs N95 mask acidalkali proof rubber gloves safety goggles to workers handling biomedical wastepoundCBMWTF must dispose of treated glass bottles only to authorised recyclers and MPCB should act against noncompliance by CBMWTF and Ms Piyush Plastic Chakan Pune500mRecommended buffer zone around facility