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Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
After protests, Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board orders closure of incinerator in eco-sensitive zone near Gangotri
Days after Gangotri residents protested against its establishment, the Uttarakhand's State Pollution Control Board has ordered the closure of an incinerator set up by the state tourism department in the eco-sensitive zone. The unit was found to have violated the provisions under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and for operating in the Bhagirathi Eco Sensitive Zone without obtaining a consent to operate. It was also found that it had no proper monitoring facilities, a logbook of operations, or a disposal of waste generated from the process, said the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Body. The residents, part of the collective Himalayi Nagarik Drishti Manch, had written to authorities, stating that the incinerator was burning mixed solid waste disposed of in the area, causing emissions. Such units are required to obtain a Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate certificate from the State Pollution Control Board, and they are mandated to keep their effluent quality within the specified norms as specified under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986. The Gangotri unit processes one tonne of solid waste every day. Moreover, the unit was set up in the Bhagirathi Eco Sensitive Zone, an area in which every activity is monitored and regulated by a committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary of the state. The incinerator was permitted by the committee last year and was set up by the Ministry of Tourism under the PRASAD Scheme (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive). Officials from the state and Central Pollution Control Body visited the facility on June 24 and found that the Uttarkashi District Tourism Development Officer had not obtained a Consolidated Consent and Authorisation (CCA) under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and authorisation under the Hazardous and other wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016. Though the unit representative said that it processes one tonne of solid waste every day, they could not provide a logbook record. Similarly, the unit representative said the ash generation is negligible and it is kept on the premises, but there was no record of the ash generation, the pollution control body said. The unit also did not maintain records for plastic waste collection. The pollution control bodies also recommended that the facility obtain necessary permissions, including a Consent to Operate from the UKPCB. Following a letter from residents of Uttarkashi to authorities regarding the operation of the unit at Bhagirathi Eco Sensitive Zone, the Uttarkashi DM had said that the unit is a zero-emission system with a solar-powered furnace and operates through a programmed oxygenation plasma technology. He also said that the waste is processed without any combustion or involvement of water or other moving parts. However, according to CPCB guidelines, incinerators have a pollution index of 100 and fall under the red category. Aiswarya Raj is a correspondent with The Indian Express who covers South Haryana. An alumna of Asian College of Journalism and the University of Kerala, she started her career at The Indian Express as a sub-editor in the Delhi city team. In her current position, she reports from Gurgaon and covers the neighbouring districts. She likes to tell stories of people and hopes to find moorings in narrative journalism. ... Read More
Hans India
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
BJP Demands Immediate Utilization of PRASAD Scheme Facilities for Devotees in Alampur
Gadwal: The BJP team led by former Jogulamba Gadwal district BJP president S. Ramachandra Reddy visited the PRASAD Scheme-constructed facilities in Alampur town and expressed strong dissatisfaction over the state government's failure to utilize them for the benefit of pilgrims visiting the historic Jogulamba temple. The visit, organized under the leadership of Alampur Town BJP President M. Sharath Babu, aimed to inspect the dining hall and accommodation blocks built under the Union Government's PRASAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive) Scheme. Addressing the media after the inspection, Ramachandra Reddy criticized the state government and Endowments Department for neglecting to put these ready-to-use facilities into service. He stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had allocated Rs. 80 crore to Alampur under the PRASAD Scheme in 2021, with the intention of improving infrastructure for devotees visiting the Jogulamba Temple, one of the 18 Shakti Peethas. However, only Rs. 36.72 crore has reportedly been utilized by local representatives, leaving a major part of the sanctioned funds unutilized. Even the infrastructure that was completed, such as lodging facilities and dining halls, remains inaccessible to pilgrims due to state inaction. Ramachandra Reddy questioned, 'How much more time does the state government need to make these facilities available? Don't the sufferings of devotees matter to the state administration?' He accused the State Government and Endowments Minister Konda Surekha of not taking any steps to operationalize the new buildings and urged Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to personally take note of the situation. He further highlighted the poor conditions at the current dining facility (Satra) near the temple, which is causing considerable inconvenience to devotees. He demanded that the dining services be shifted to the newly constructed building under the PRASAD Scheme immediately to ensure comfort and hygiene for the pilgrims. Additionally, the BJP leaders called for the introduction of electric vehicles for the easy transportation of devotees and the immediate launch of the new accommodation facilities built with central funds. The event was also attended by BJP's Alampur MLA candidate Rajagopal, State BJYM Vice President Rajashekar Sharma, Alampur Mandal BJP President Eshwar, District Council Member Rangaswamy, and Town BJP General Secretaries Naresh, Mahesh, and Parushuram, among others. The BJP leaders pledged to continue their agitation until the state government fulfills its responsibility and ensures proper infrastructure for the devotees of Jogulamba Temple.
