NGT seeks reply from environment ministry over illegal dumping in Siliguri

The green body was hearing a matter where it had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of a newspaper report regarding the unauthorised dumping in the Farabari area of the town, allegedly from Sikkim

The National Green Tribunal has sought replies from the Union environment ministry's offices in West Bengal and Sikkim on the alleged illegal dumping of medical and hazardous waste in a vacant plot in West Bengal's Siliguri.

The green body was hearing a matter where it had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of a newspaper report regarding the unauthorised dumping in the Farabari area of the town, allegedly from the neighbouring state of Sikkim.

"The article highlights that the situation became more complicated when it was revealed that the owner of the vacant plot had made private arrangements with truck drivers for waste disposal without obtaining necessary clearances from the local panchayat or other relevant authorities," a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said in an order dated November 27.

The bench also comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, and expert member A Senthil Vel, said that the "irresponsible dumping" was inconveniencing the residents, and was in violation of the environmental norms, such as provisions of the Solid Waste Management Rules and the Environment (Protection) Act.

"The news item raises substantial issues relating to compliance with the environmental norms," the tribunal said.

It impleaded as parties or respondents the Sikkim and West Bengal regional offices of the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, the Central Pollution Control Board, and the state pollution control boards of both states.

"Issue notice to the above respondents for filing their response/reply," the tribunal said.

The response must be filed before the tribunal's eastern zonal bench in Kolkata at least a week before the next date of hearing on January 30, it said.