Indian Express 29.11.2010
Govt identifies new site for waste management project
Lalmani Verma Tags : environment, solid waste management project in Eintgaon Posted: Mon Nov 29 2010, 06:23 hrs
Lucknow: After the state dropped its plan to set up the solid waste management project in Eintgaon and before that in Dashehari village, it has identified a site in Siviri area on Mohan Road for the project.The officials in the Construction and Design Services, UP Jal Nigam, the nodal agency for the project, said a 19-hectare barren land, 5 km from Eintgaon, has been selected for the project and a proposal for environment clearance of this site has been sent to the Environment Directorate of UP.
“The Environment Impact Assessment Committee (EIAC) will go through the proposal and the Jal Nigam will conduct the study on the parameters recommended by the committee, said Yashpal Singh, Environment Director and Secretary, EIAC.
An official in Jal Nigam said the earlier site, a 35-acre land belonging to the Bhumi Sudhar Nigam of the Agriculture department in Eintgaon, was rejected as UPBSN scientists were conducting a study of that land. “If the land was taken for the solid waste management project, it would have affected the study,” he said.
The 19-hectare land identified recently at Sivri too belongs to the UPBSN but no study is going on here. “As the land belongs to the Agriculture department and needs to be transferred to the Urban Development department for the project, it will require Cabinet approval,” said Alok Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Urban Development.
“The land is insufficient for the project. But more land will be provided by Bhumi Sudhar Nigam near Siviri later. Before that, civil work will be started at the site once it is handed over to the private operator selected for the plant,” said a Jal Nigam official.
Initially the project was proposed to come up on 88-acre land in Dashehari village on Hardoi Road. But it involved cutting of 2,036 trees and faced opposition. Besides, it was feared that the site will affect the orchards in the area which also includes the oldest known mother-tree of Dashehari. The project has been awarded to Jyoti Enviro-Tech Private Limited for door-to-door collection of solid waste, its processing and disposal at landfill site. Around 1,300 tonne solid waste is generated daily in Lucknow.
Under the JNNURM, Rs 42.92 crore was sanctioned for the project in May 2007. The state government has made a commitment to the Centre to complete the project by March 2011. The Jyoti Enviro-Tech Private Limited has already started door-to-door collection of solid waste in some wards but it is waiting for selection of the land site for setting up the processing plant.
