Affidavit filed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on waste being dumped in West Bengal from Sikkim, 06/03/2025
Affidavit filed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in the matter of News item titled "Siliguri protests dumping of Sikkim waste, raises health and environmental concerns" appearing in the Telegraph dated November 12, 2024. The matter related to unauthorized dumping of waste at a vacant plot in Farabari near Siliguri, West Bengal allegedly from the neighbouring state of Sikkim. As per the article, the vacant plot where waste is being dumped is just around 50 meters from the boundary of the Baikunthapur forest, which poses riks to wildlife. The news item also indicated violation of the provisions of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The Sikkim Pollution Control Board has submitted the annual report on implementation of solid waste management for financial year 2023-2024 under SWM Rules, 2016. As per the annual report, Sikkim generates 69.68 tons per day of solid waste. Out of this, 100 per cent is collected, 52.5 per cent (36.57 TPD) is processed / treated, while 47.5 per cent (33.11 TPD) is landfilled.
The annual report of the West Bengal Pollution Control Board on implementation of solid waste management for financial year 2023-2024 under SWM Rules, 2016 said that the state generates 14072.04 tons per day (TPD) of solid waste. Out of this 93 per cent (13116.77 TPD) is collected, 23.5 per cent (3300 TPD) is processed / treated, while 8.4 per cent (1187 TPD) is landfilled.
The CPCB asked the Sikkim Pollution Control Board to take necessary action, monitor and ensure compliance of the provisions of the SWN Rules. The Sikkim Pollution Control Board has been asked to come up with time targeted action plan focusing development of adequate infrastructure for solid waste management. There is no common biomedical waste treatment facility (CBWTF) operational in the state of Sikkim for treatment and facility. However, 277 captive treatment facilities are being operated by HCFs as authorised by Sikkim SPCB for treatment and disposal of biomedical waste. These captive treatment facilities include incineration, autoclave and deep burials.
Further, the waste found at Farabari, West Bengal was not hazardous waste or biomedical waste but consists of bio-mined legacy waste generated from municipal solid waste landfill site located at Martam, Gangtok district. The waste was in transit for co-processing at Dew Resource Management located at Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.