india

Updated: Apr 24, 2019 06:32 IST

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has imposed a fine of ₹50 lakh on East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) for not setting up a bio methanation plant at the Ghazipur slaughterhouse.

The project to set up such a plant by the EDMC has been delayed by 10 years owing to various technical reasons. A bio methanation plant is needed to process the roughly 50 metric tonnes of animal ‘paunch waste’ — stomach contents of ruminants like buffalo, sheep and goat — and animal dung produced at the Ghazipur slaughterhouse daily. Around 7,000 animals are butchered there a day, civic body officials said.

Cattle paunch waste is said to be highly acidic in nature and currently all of it is dumped untreated at the Ghazipur landfill. It emits a foul smell and also pollutes groundwater through leachate. Besides these, it is a major source of methane, known as the worst of all greenhouse gases.

Ghazipur slaughterhouse was established in the trans-Yamuna area in 2009 after the Idgah abattoir in Chandni Chowk proved to be insufficient to meet the city’s meat demands.

The DPCC letter, dated April 16, signed by its senior environment engineer Ajeeta Agrawal, says the EDMC was repeatedly reminded to set up the plant. “As per the condition 20 of Consent to Establish granted on September 14, 2009, you had to install a suitable bio methanation plant at the time of the plant’s commissioning. (Further), you were sent notices dated 11.02.2015, 13.04.2016, 24.01.2017…to set up the same...But no bio-methanation plant was seen installed or any concrete steps taken in this regard. Hence…you shall deposit an environmental compensation of ₹50 lakh within 15 days of this notice,” it read.

EDMC officials, however, said they are not to be blamed for the delay. A senior veterinary official said tenders calling for companies with technical expertise in the area were floated twice — once in 2009 and again in 2012 — but the bids failed to materialise.

In January 2019, the tender was floated again but proceedings have been stalled due to the model code of conduct for Lok Sabha Elections coming into force. “We have requested the DPCC to waive the fine,” a senior official of EDMC said, requesting not to be named.

Govt to oppose Mayapuri sealing order in supreme court

The Delhi government is planning to file a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court against a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order that directed authorities to seal polluting units in the Mayapuri Industrial Area.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has also been asked by the government to prepare a short-term plan to fight pollution and a long-term policy to deal with scrapping of vehicles.

On April 13, violence broke out in the Mayapuri Industrial Area when government officials arrived to seal polluting units on the NGT April 11 order. At least 14 people were injured in the clash.

On April 15, the high court ordered that no coercive action be taken against the unit owners who failed to pay a ₹1 lakh fine levied by DPCC as environmental damage compensation. Delhi environment minister Imrain Hussain directed DPCC not to take any coercive actions and sealing against these units.