Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) has drawn flak from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for “callousness and non-seriousness” regarding its approach to the unscientific solid waste disposal by Jamshedpur civic body, causing health concerns for residents.

The NGT eastern zone bench, Calcutta, comprising Justice B. Amit Sthalekarand expert member AfrozAhmad, during the course of the hybrid hearing on February22 said: “In spite of the findings by the regional officer of JSPCB, the JSPCB has not suggested any remedial measures (in its affidavit filed on February 15) and has not even filed the inspection report. This shows callousness and non-seriousness on the part of the JSPCB and its officers. The JSPCB is hereby warned that filing such slipshod affidavits will invite consequences.”

The NGT directed the JSPCB to file an inspection report as well as suggest the remedial measures or actions that are to be taken by the violator in the form of an affidavit within two weeks.

Sanjay Upadhyay, an advocate in the Supreme Court had filed an application on behalf of his father S. K. Upadhyay citing health hazards faced by residents along Marine Drive in Jamshedpur because of the disposal and burning of solid waste by the Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee and Mango Municipal Corporation along the river bank of Subernarekha and Kharkai.

“My father, who is 81 years old, is a COPD patient and has been facing health problems because of the burning of the waste dumped along Marine Drive by the civic authorities. We have come to know that despite several protests by the local residents in the past, the authorities have done nothing to address the problem. We had no option but to approach the NGT,” said Sanjay Upadhyay.

Social worker and a resident of Gandhi Road in OldSonari, Mukul Mishra, who has been spearheading the agitation against dumping of waste along the river banks, said: “Over 10,000 residents near Marine Drive of Jamshedpur are facing health problems because of burning of the solid waste dumped by the civic bodies. A bad stench also emanates from the waste. We had met the authorities several times and only received verbal assurances. But nothing has been done yet.”

The Jamshedpur regional officer of JSPCB had in its report to the JSPCB claimed that the “municipal solid waste was being disposed of near Domuhaniin Sonari, Jamshedpur in an unscientific manner”.

The JSPCB regional officer claims to have apprised the special officer of the Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee and the Mango municipal corporation to put off the fire and take remedial measures for the proper disposal of solid waste.

In the affidavit before NGT, the JSPCB regional officer claims that during the inspection of the site on February 7, it was found that smoke was still coming out of the dumping site containing the municipal corporation’s solid waste. It also states that the dumping site is not a permanent landfill site. The matter has been fixed for the next hearing on March 14.