Uttarkashi residents seek action over emission by waste incinerator in Gangotri National Park
In the letter sent by the Himalayi Nagarik Drishti Manch to the secretary of Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and National Mission for Clean Ganga on Monday, the residents said that the plant has come up near the Gangotri glacier and within the Gangotri National Park where all such polluting industries are prohibited
'The laws are being openly violated by the administration itself. The garbage is being collected and burnt in the incinerator and its toxic ash is being dumped into the valley towards Ganga. In this way, Ganga water is being made toxic with deadly elements (heavy metals etc.) from the source itself,' the letter said. 'We hope that you will take immediate cognizance to shut down this unit and will ensure strict action against those who are damaging the environment of Ganga and the Himalayas.'
Ankur Kansal, an environmental engineer at the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board, said that the project has yet to receive permission from the state board.
'We have checked our database and records. This project has not been granted permission yet. They do not have our No Objection Certificate (NOC),' he said. 'As far as I understand, they have applied for a permit but certain queries have been raised about land use category etc, which are yet to be addressed by the project proponent
The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, states that construction of landfill in hilly areas shall be avoided. A transfer station at a suitable enclosed location shall be set up to collect residual waste from the processing facility and inert waste. Suitable land shall be identified in the plain areas, down the hill, within 25 kilometers for setting up sanitary landfill. The residual waste from the transfer station shall be disposed of at this sanitary landfill.
Activist and the head of Uttarkashi Nagar Palika American Puri said that the district administration has ignored the concerns raised by the residents. 'We are extremely unhappy with this move. How can you install a waste incinerator inside a forest and that too in an eco-sensitive zone high up in the Himalayas,' he said. 'Gangotri is not any other place. It is a very sensitive area because of biodiversity and forests here.'
HT had reported on April 8 that the CPCB directed state pollution control boards to adopt a revised classification of industries with a new category, blue. The new category covers 'essential environmental services' required for management of environmental concerns due to domestic/household activities which otherwise will have large littering potential, it said.
Waste to energy plants, certain compressed biogas plants, integrated sanitary landfills, biomining of legacy waste, among others fall under the new blue category, as per documents seen by HT.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Ganga water quality remained within safe limits after Maha Kumbh 2025: Centre
The water quality of the Ganga river remained within the permissible limits for primary bathing standards both during and after the Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj, the Jal Shakti ministry said on Thursday. An aerial view of devotees taking a holy dip at Sangam during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh.(File) The monitoring conducted at eight key locations by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), including Shringverpur Ghat, Sangam, and Deeha Ghat, showed that parameters like pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), and Faecal Coliform (FC) were well within the acceptable limits throughout religious festivities, the Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary said in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Thursday. The data was collected between January 12 and February 20, 2025, covering the Amrit Snan days and adjoining periods. The CPCB increased its monitoring from five to eight locations midway through the period to ensure broader coverage. According to the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the positive results reflect the effectiveness of the sanitation and wastewater management systems implemented during the Mela. The sanitation plan developed by the Prayagraj Mela Authority included temporary drainage systems spanning 250 km, the use of bioremediation ponds, and the installation of temporary sewage and faecal sludge treatment plants. After the event, these systems were dismantled and stored for future use, while disinfection measures ensured hygienic site closure, Choudhary said. The ministry also stated that under the Namami Gange Programme, 502 projects have been sanctioned with 323 completed, 150 under implementation, and 29 in the tendering stage. The Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), which conducted a third-party appraisal, found that the programme has made substantial progress in reducing pollution, improving river flow, and engaging local communities, the MoS said.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Ganpati idols up to 6 feet must be immersed in artificial tanks, says Bombay HC
MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed that Ganpati idols made of plaster of Paris (PoP), which are up to 6 feet, shall be mandatorily immersed in artificial water bodies. This paves the way for the implementation of the state govt's policy that permits the immersion of larger idols in natural water bodies like rivers and seas. 'The local bodies shall ensure that plaster of Paris idols, which are less than 6 feet in height, are mandatorily immersed in artificial water ponds only,' directed Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne. They said interim directions shall also apply to Navratri and other festivals until March 2026. The court heard a PIL, including by nine clay-based idol makers, seeking implementation of the May 2020 revised guidelines of the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) May 2020 revised guidelines that banned the manufacture and sale of PoP idols. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai The court also heard a petition by PoP idol-makers who challenged the ban. On May 21 , the CPCB's expert committee clarified that the guidelines are 'advisory in nature,' but added that immersion shall not be allowed in natural bodies. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Redefine Your Future with a Top Online MBA JAIN Online Learn More Undo The High Court on June 9 directed the state to take a policy decision on immersion. On Wednesday, the State's policy was submitted with guidelines including that idols below 5 feet have to be mandatorily immersed in artificial water tanks. Idols above 5 feet can be immersed in natural water bodies, but the local bodies would have to remove immersed idols the very next day and clean the seabed. The judges then asked the state govt and BMC to inform whether idols up to 8 feet can be immersed in artificial tanks and if it is possible to provide bigger tanks. Senior advocate Milind Sathe, for BMC, and advocate general Birendra Saraf said there will be logistical problems. Sathe informed that last year, 85,000 idols below 5 feet were immersed in artificial tanks. This year, the figure is 1.95 lakh such idols. He said provision has to be made for an additional 1.10 lakh idols. The High Court was informed that there are 3,865 idols between 5-10 feet and 3,998 above 10 feet. Saraf urged that in view of the festival beginning on August 27, the High Court permits the immersion of idols above 5 feet in natural water bodies. The judges said while the policy can be said to be a step in the right direction, the court has to make an endeavour that the impact of the immersion of idols on the environment is reduced to a bare minimum. 'We cannot lose sight of the fact that there are still 7,863 idols above 5 feet which shall be immersed in natural water bodies,' they added. Taking into account the policy, that an additional 1.10 lakh idols will have to be immersed in artificial bodies and since the festival begins on August 27, the judges deemed it 'appropriate to make the following arrangements this year.' 'We, therefore, direct that instead of idols 5 feet in height, idols which are up to 6 feet shall necessarily be immersed in artificial bodies,' they said. They directed the state govt to endeavour to implement its immersion policy 'in letter and spirit' and issue directions to local bodies. All local bodies in Maharashtra shall ensure strict adherence to the policy. They shall encourage utsav samitis/sarvajanik mandals to install smaller idols and also smaller replicas specifically for immersion purposes, while the larger idol may be reused or reinstalled the following year. The govt shall appoint an expert scientific committee to suggest methods for reuse and recycle of PoP. The committee shall also examine scientific methods for faster dissolution of PoP in an eco-friendly manner.
Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Indian Express
Bombay HC orders ‘mandatory' immersion of PoP idols up to 6 feet in artificial tanks across Maharashtra till March 2026
The Bombay High Court Thursday directed that Ganesh idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP), and those less than 6 feet in height, will 'necessarily' and 'mandatorily' be immersed in artificial water bodies across Maharashtra. The high court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the immersion of PoP idols in natural water sources, along with pleas filed by associations of Ganesh idol makers challenging the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines banning the immersion of such idols in natural water bodies. A bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep V Marne noted in the order that the interim arrangement will also be applicable to Navratri celebrations, the Maghi Ganesh festival, as well as all festivals involving idol immersions, until March 2026. On Wednesday, the Maharashtra Government informed the high court about its July 21 policy guidelines for the immersion of PoP idols. Under the new policy, idols less than five feet will be mandatorily immersed in artificial water bodies. The government also said that those exceeding five feet in height may be permitted to be immersed in natural water bodies such as lakes, rivers, and the sea in case no alternate immersion facility is available. 'The policy of the state government can be said to be a step in the right direction. However, we cannot lose sight of the fact that over 7,000 PoP idols above 5 feet will be immersed in natural bodies. The court has to make an endeavour that the impact on immersion of idols on the environment is reduced to a bare minimum. We therefore direct that instead of 5 feet, idols up to 6 feet shall necessarily be immersed in artificial water bodies,' the bench said in the order. New arrangements, logistical issues After being informed that, according to the CPCB's expert committee, its guidelines were 'always advisory in nature,' the Bombay High Court on June 9 lifted the ban on the manufacture and sale of idols made of PoP. However, the court stated that the idols would not be immersed in natural bodies without obtaining permission from the HC and sought the state's policy on immersion. On Wednesday, July 23, after perusing the state's guidelines, the court asked the Maharashtra Government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) if it was possible to create artificial tanks for immersion of PoP idols up to 7 or 8 feet in height. On Thursday, Senior Advocate Milind Sathe, while representing BMC, informed the court that while 85,306 Ganesh idols of less than 5 feet were immersed in artificial tanks in the city last year, with the new state mandate, suitable arrangements for immersing all 1,95,306 (1.10 lakh in addition) such idols in artificial ponds will have to be made this year. He added that when 3,865 idols between 5 and 10 feet in height were immersed in natural water bodies last year, along with 3,998 above 10 feet made of PoP, there were logistical problems to ensure their immersion in artificial tanks. When Advocate Ronita Bhattacharya-Bector for the PIL petitioner argued that even the large PoP idols shall not be immersed in natural water bodies, CJI Aradhe orally remarked, 'We are also not satisfied, but we cannot create artificial ponds ourselves. We cannot remain uncut from realities and do the idealistic thing… We are part of society. We are conscious. This is only an interim arrangement for this year'. Maharashtra Advocate General Birendra Saraf said the government was 'committed to the environment', and would strictly enforce its guidelines. The Bombay High Court then directed the implementation of the state's guidelines in 'letter and spirit' and mandatory immersion of PoP idols less than 6 feet in height in artificial bodies. The court also directed the Maharashtra Government to form an expert scientific committee on the reuse and recycling of PoP idols, which would also examine methods of faster dissolution of PoP idols in an eco-friendly manner.
