Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding distance of 500 mtrs from the landfill site in Balotra, Rajasthan, 08/07/2019
Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Balotra Textile Hand Processors Association Vs Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board & Others dated 08/07/2019 regarding buffer zone of 500 m from the treatment, storage, and disposal facility (TSDF).
The application was filed by Balotra Water Pollution Control Treatment & Research Foundation Trust for the modification in one of the suggestions given by the Court Commissioner which had called for 500 mtrs from TSDF. The submission made by the Counsel for the applicant is that such condition of 500 mtrs from TSDF was dehors of the Guidelines under the Hazardous & Other Wastes Management Rules, 2016 and that it should be 200 mtrs.
While going over the case, the Tribunal noted the report submitted by the State Pollution Control Board which had conducted an inspection on May 11, 2019. The report mentioned that "during physical observations some seepage were observed and there is history of breaches of such structures in Balotra and Bithuja. This indicates that these structures are not very stable and possibilities of further breaches in future cannot be ruled out." Further a massive breach occurred in Ambey Valley effluent holding structure, which was towards Luni river and most of the effluent ultimately found its way into river Luni. The
NGT dismissed the application and said that the recommendations made by the Commissioner of the distance of 500 mtrs from the landfill site is just and proper and does not require any change/modification.