The Gauhati High Court has directed the state government to expedite the selection of agency, as well as the site, for implementation of the waste management project.
The Division Bench of Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and Justice Manish Choudhury passed the order on September 27 on a PIL filed by Pradip Baruah, related to selection of appropriate sites for dumping of solid waste in respect of Guwahati city and surrounding areas.
The Court observed that the same has been continued at present in Chandrapur as well as in Housefed land of Boragaon area. Though there have been some objections as regards the selection of site by local people on various grounds, including non-clearance by the concerned Forest Department or by the Pollution Control Board, these are issues, which can certainly be examined after completion of pleadings.
The Advocate General for the State submitted that for executing the project at an appropriate location, the government has already initiated e-Tender process for selecting the agency to implement the project and would like to submit a detailed affidavit indicating the place(s) where the solid waste project would be ultimately established, for which the Advocate General is seeking 30 days time.
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The bench listed the matter for November 10 and said it will examine as to the steps taken by the state authorities for implementing the waste management project, which conforms to all the relevant requirements of law.
“Since any delay in implementation of the project would have the potential of causing environmental hazards, the state government is directed to expedite the matter of selecting the agency as well as the site for implementation of the waste management project, about which this Court hopes, the authorities will inform this Court on the next date by filing necessary affidavit in this regard,” the order read.
On August 4, the Advocate General of Assam had apprised the High Court that as far as the installation of waste management plant is concerned, tenders were floated by the authority concerned and three companies have already responded to the advertisement and their eligibility are presently being examined and, hopefully, within a year or so, the plant would be constructed and commissioned.