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CPCB seeks details of pollution control measures from Jindal Ecopolis
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has sought clarification from
Jindal Ecopolis, the waste management company setting up a
waste-to-energy plant at Okhla, saying that it would not be permitted to
operate if the company fails to provide technical details about
pollution control at the incineration plant.
It may be noted that
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has already made it clear that the Delhi
government would continue to pursue construction of the plant promoted
by Jindal Ecopolis.
In a note, CPCB said that the project
proponent is required to provide more technical details rather than
project outlines. “The project proponent should provide realistic
figures on quality of residues and other waste streams generated.
Complete details of control facilities need to be provided to assess the
adequacy of the same. The project proponent should submit complete
technical details of each process unit, including pollution facilities,
to assess the adequacy of the system based on technology aspects,” it
said.
The CPCB further said that aspects of operational
limitations have to be critically reviewed. “For instance, it is
required to understand how the environmental issues have been addressed
or managed in case of temporary shutdowns associated with operation of
boilers and other equipment,” said CPCB, directing that the next meeting
can be held after submission of the details by the proponent and
studying the information pertaining to the actual project being
implemented on ground.
Residents of Jamia Nagar, along with NGOs,
have been protesting against the setting up of the waste-to-energy
plant at Okhla, saying that the project is in contravention of a Supreme
Court order banning the technology. The toxic emissions from plants of
this type have been known to cause birth deformities, cancer,
respiratory ailments and hormonal problems.
Experts say the
government could not have picked a worse location for a plant that they
claim will emit dioxins, furans, nox, sox, respirable particulate matter
and other toxic chemicals associated with waste-to-energy plants that
are designed to run on “rubbish-derived fuel” (RDF). Within a radius of
about half-a-mile of the plant, which is being set up by Jindal
Ecopolis as a public-private partnership, there are four major health
facilities: the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Holy Family Hospital, the
Fortis Heart Institute and the Cheshire Homes for the sick and elderly.
Also
falling within a couple of miles are the Jamia Millia Islamia
University, the Okhla bird sanctuary, residential areas such as Maharani
Bagh and New Friends Colony and densely populated residential areas
like Haji Colony and Ghaffar Manzil.
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