Gurgaon: Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) on Tuesday said it has filed a case against an MCG officer in the sessions court over alleged violations at Bandhwari landfill.Separately, it has imposed Rs 30.6 lakh in environmental compensation (EC) on the civic body for violation of a direction issued by Commission for Air Quality Management.“Prosecution has been filed in the sessions court,” HSPCB regional officer Akansha Tanwar told TOI. The prosecution follows a show-cause notice issued by HSPCB on July 6, according to a status report prepared by the board’s regional office in the city and submitted to HSPCB chairman on July 10.The latest action adds to substantial environmental liabilities already faced by MCG over Bandhwari.The action comes against the backdrop of a fire at Bandhwari landfill on June 25, following which HSPCB inspected the 30-acre site the same day. During the inspection, officials observed smoke emanating from the landfill.According to the report, MCG informed HSPCB that seven to eight fire tenders were deployed and the fire was extinguished within around three-and-a-half hours. Smoke continued to emanate from the site for another two hours, while MCG attributed the fire to high temperatures.The HSPCB report does not, however, establish that the prosecution was filed specifically because of the June 25 fire. Similarly, the EC is expressly linked to violation of CAQM direction (number 91) rather than being described as compensation for the fire.The July 6 notice cited alleged violations under Sections 25/26 of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Section 15 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.HSPCB said the violations included failure to obtain the required pollution-control consents and non-compliance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and NGT orders.The board specifically cited MCG’s failure to obtain the required Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate under Water and Air Acts. Its status report records that action was taken against the concerned MCG officer under Environment (Protection) Act, Water Act and Air Act.HSPCB imposed the EC on MCG on July 6 for violation of a CAQM direction, the report said.HSPCB said it had earlier imposed Rs 7.2 crore in EC in compliance with NGT orders dated Feb 14, Feb 28 and Dec 14, 2020. MCG has deposited Rs 6.3 crore, according to the report. The board said MCG is liable to pay Rs 10 lakh every month as EC under NGT’s Dec 14, 2020 order in the same case.The June fire broke out around 7.30am in the front section of the landfill, where fresh waste is dumped, and was brought under control after fire tenders were deployed. The recurrence had raised concerns over the effectiveness of fire-prevention measures at the site.In April, an HSPCB inspection had found that methane monitoring systems were not functioning effectively and temperature-control measures were inadequate, both key safeguards under CAQM direction.The board had then held MCG responsible for non-compliance with the prescribed measures and said it was already imposing Rs 10 lakh a month on the civic body for violations at the site.The Rs 30.6 lakh EC was imposed against MCG for violation of CAQM direction (number 91), which relates to measures required at landfill and waste disposal sites to prevent and control fires and associated air pollution.
