The Times of India 19.12.2009
PMC driver booked for dumping toxic waste in open area
The Loni Kalbhor police have registered a case under section 33 (M) of the Bombay Police Act (posing threat to human and other lives) against the driver, Dhanraj Shivaji Borkar, after the villagers brought the incident to their notice.
Ranjeet Raskar, member of Phursungi grampanchayat, said, “Three tankers, each containing 5,000 litres of leachate, have been unloaded for the last three days. This means, a total of 75,000 litres of the toxic waste has been released into an open land near the Hanjer Biotech Energies
The PMC has created small ponds around the garbage depot at Phursungi-Urali Devachi to collect seeping leachate. “The leachate discharged and collected from the dumping site should be lifted and scientifically treated before releasing into nature. Releasing an untreated leachate into nature is unlawful. It is an act of morbid indifference towards human health and environment. The PMC will be warned against it,” said P K Mirashe, regional officer of the Maharashtra
Pollution Control Board (MPCB).Suresh Jagtap, PMC’s solid waste department head, said, “We will take strict action against the erring tanker driver. We have already warned the drivers against resorting to such short-cut methods. The driver should have drained the leachate into drainage lines in Hadapsar.”
The leachate discharged and collected from the the dumping site at Phursungi is supposed to be scientifically treated before being release into nature. However, since a leachate treatment plant is yet to come up, the toxic waste is being dumped in drainage lines in Hadapsar.
The PMC has outsourced the work of effective management of the dumping site to the Mumbai-based Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (ILFS). “The company is going to submit a detailed project report (DPR) soon, which will envisage leachate treatment plant as well. The work is likely to kick off in the first week of February,” said Jagtap.
