The Times of India 22.06.2010
UPJN to ready new site plan for MSW project
LUCKNOW: The UP Jal Nigam (UPJN) is doing all it can to make the proposed Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) plant at Kakori a reality. After the State Advisory Council met the senior members of UPJN on June 14, the implementing authority for the plant is busy preparing a fresh blueprint for the site.
The first-of-its-kind MSW plant for Lucknow has faced severe criticism on account of the environmental damage it could cause to the neighbouring mango belt. The SAC, in its June 14 meeting, after taking into account the oppositions as well as views in favour of the plant, advised the UPJN to prepare a fresh site plan, giving the exact number of trees that would be felled while setting up the plant.
Technical advisor construction and design services RK Gaur, said: "First, we have been asked to create a site plan so that no more trees fall. In the event some trees need to be cut, we have also been directed to give the exact number. The fresh survey is been conducted to ascertain this and we would have a final report soon.''
Significantly, the horticulture department, in an earlier assessment, had declared that the 98 acre plot of land had a total of 2062 trees. Apart from this, environment experts had raised concerns over toxic fumes that would emanate from the landfill site and cause grievous damage to the mango crop in the region.
According to local mango farmers, the succulent fruit is extremely sensitive to any environmental disturbance and said that the setting up of the plant would definitely affect the crop.
In defence of the environmental damage allegation, the UPJN, following the SAC meeting, issued a 9-page docket, explaining the details of how the proposed plant would process the garbage that would be collected.
The document also emphasised that processing the organic part of the garbage would only produce water and carbon dioxide, both of which would not cause any damage to the mango belt.
For the non-organic matter that would be gathered, only 20% of the total garbage would be dumped at the landfill site, while the remaining would be recycled.
The first-of-its-kind MSW plant for Lucknow has faced severe criticism on account of the environmental damage it could cause to the neighbouring mango belt. The SAC, in its June 14 meeting, after taking into account the oppositions as well as views in favour of the plant, advised the UPJN to prepare a fresh site plan, giving the exact number of trees that would be felled while setting up the plant.
Technical advisor construction and design services RK Gaur, said: "First, we have been asked to create a site plan so that no more trees fall. In the event some trees need to be cut, we have also been directed to give the exact number. The fresh survey is been conducted to ascertain this and we would have a final report soon.''
Significantly, the horticulture department, in an earlier assessment, had declared that the 98 acre plot of land had a total of 2062 trees. Apart from this, environment experts had raised concerns over toxic fumes that would emanate from the landfill site and cause grievous damage to the mango crop in the region.
According to local mango farmers, the succulent fruit is extremely sensitive to any environmental disturbance and said that the setting up of the plant would definitely affect the crop.
In defence of the environmental damage allegation, the UPJN, following the SAC meeting, issued a 9-page docket, explaining the details of how the proposed plant would process the garbage that would be collected.
The document also emphasised that processing the organic part of the garbage would only produce water and carbon dioxide, both of which would not cause any damage to the mango belt.
For the non-organic matter that would be gathered, only 20% of the total garbage would be dumped at the landfill site, while the remaining would be recycled.
