Reserve one-third reclaimed land for dense forest in Delhi, recommends NGT

One-third of reclaimed land from dump sites in Delhi should be reserved for dense forest and an equal area must be earmarked for integrated waste management facilities, an NGT panel has recommended.

The solid-waste monitoring committee of the National Green Tribunal, which recently held a review meeting, asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Delhi Development Authority and the forest department to submit a detailed action plan within a month about proper utilisation of the reclaimed land.

In February, the NGT constituted the committee with Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena as its head. The panel submitted its report on Monday.

The panel has also asked for a web portal to be developed by June 30 to show the daily generation of waste, collection, recycling, processing and disposal at the dump sites.

"The online feed shall also be made available to the Urban Development Department of GNCTD, DPCC and CPCB," the panel recommended.

It was also decided that MCD, NDMC and DCB should carry out a third-party audit of solid waste management, including segregation, collection, transportation, recycling, processing and disposal at dump site through an independent and reputed expert agency, the panel said.

"It was further decided that MCD, NDMC and DCB shall award the work within a fortnight and shall complete the audit by 30" September, 2023," it said.

"One-third of land occupied by legacy dump sites (on reclamation) needs to be reserved for dense forest," said the panel.

In the process of afforestation, compensatory afforestation fund management and planning authority (CAMPA) funds can be utilised, the report recommended.

"Further, one-third of reclaimed land out of the said dump site needs to be reserved for integrated waste management facilities," it added.

The remaining one-third of reclaimed land can be used for any other purpose, consistent with the above purposes, including a part of it being utilised for monetising, if funding is required for tackling the legacy waste, the panel suggested.

"MCD, DDA, and forest department shall take necessary advance action for proper utilisation of the reclaimed land and submit detailed prospective action plan along with timelines and nodal officer for implementation of the action plan within a months' time to the Convenor of the SWMC for Solid Waste Monitoring," it added.