Ahmedabad: The National Green Tribunal (Western Zone Bench at Pune) directed the Gujarat Pollution Control Board to recover Rs 10.92 crore from Eco Waste Management (EWM), a firm responsible for processing hazardous waste at the site, received from various industries in Palej GIDC, Bharuch district.The GPCB informed the NGT last month that accumulated hazardous waste was being removed from the site. It said that the total expenditure required for the removal and handling of the hazardous waste amounted to Rs 10.92 crore. In its affidavit, the GPCB stated that EWM is a pre-processing facility which was previously authorized to receive hazardous waste from various industries and undertake its processing to render it suitable for co-processing in the cement industry. EWM also tendered a notarized affidavit to the GPCB in Dec 2021 stating that, in the event of any environmental damage, both EWM and the lessor of the site would be jointly liable for remediation and compensation.In 2023, various GIDC units as well as Palej’s industries association began complaining about pollution, particularly about odour emanating from the hazardous waste. Acting on the complaints, the GPCB issued a closure notice as well. The issue reached NGT after a petition sought execution of an earlier order for removal of hazardous waste from the site. The tribunal issued notice to EWM, but none appeared on behalf of the firm during the hearings. As the GPCB began removal of the waste and assured that the process would be over soon, the NGT disposed of the application with a direction that “the amount of Rs 10,92,82,560 be levied by the GPCB from the Project Proponent, ie respondent no. 2 (EWM), which shall be utilised for removing of hazardous waste at the site in question within 2 weeks thereafter”.
