In a recent twist of events, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has slapped a hefty fine of ₹1.79 crore on the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for environmental violations at a dumping site in Wagholi. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) brought attention to the breaches at the 1.89-acre site, which was previously managed by the Wagholi gram panchayat before coming under PMC’s jurisdiction.
PMC’s legal representative, Rahul Garg, assured the tribunal of PMC’s commitment to paying the compensation. The funds are earmarked for establishing a solid waste processing plant at the site, a move approved by the NGT bench led by Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and expert member Vijay Kulkarni.
The NGT has directed the Pune district collector to hand over the site to PMC within two months for the construction of the waste processing plant. In the meantime, PMC has been given permission to use the site as a transfer station for solid waste collection, in line with SWM Rules of 2016.
Despite concerns raised by the Dagadkhan Asanghatit Kamgar Vikas Parishad in 2020 about the site’s environmental impact on local communities, the NGT has dismissed claims linking the site to a cremation ground and stressed the importance of following waste management regulations.
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