Himachal govt defends the Shivalik waste plant in the Assembly, calling it essential for industries. MLA Hardeep Singh Bawa raises concerns from a local panchayat opposing its lease extension, prompting a debate on its environmental impact and future.

The Himachal Pradesh government on Thursday said the Shivalik Solid Waste Management Plant at Majra in Nalagarh, the state's only authorised central Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF) for hazardous waste, had adequate capacity and was operating under environmental safeguards, while cautioning that its closure without an alternative facility could disrupt industrial operations across the state.

Concerns Raised in Assembly

The issue came up during the sixth day of the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly when Congress MLA Hardeep Singh Bawa moved a Call Attention Motion under Rule 62 regarding the functioning of the plant and extension of its lease. Raising concerns over the facility and the resolution passed by the Majra Gram Panchayat opposing extension of its lease, Bawa sought clarification from the government on the plant's present status, environmental compliance and the proposed course of action.

Bawa said the concerns of residents of Majra and the surrounding area could not be ignored and sought a clear assessment of the plant's environmental impact, its operational status and the government's plans regarding the lease. He also sought information on the safeguards being followed at the facility and whether the interests and concerns of the local panchayat were being adequately considered before taking any decision on continuation of the facility.

Government's Detailed Response

In its response, the government said the facility was established in 2006 following directions of the Supreme Court and had been operational since 2008. The plant is operated through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) registered in 2005, with at least two directors nominated by the Himachal Pradesh government.

The facility was constructed on 191.08 bighas of land in Majra Gram Panchayat at a cost of around Rs 22 crore. The land was leased to the SPV on November 20, 2006, for 50 years, comprising 20 years for operation and 30 years for post-closure maintenance.

Operational Capacity and Clearances

The government said the facility had a designated capacity to handle 20 lakh metric tonnes of hazardous waste. Since becoming operational, it has processed around four lakh metric tonnes, or approximately 20 per cent of its total capacity. According to the government, the remaining capacity is sufficient to allow the facility to continue operations for at least another 20 years.

The government said the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB) had granted Consent to Operate and Hazardous Waste Authorisation to the facility, both valid up to March 31, 2029. The plant also has environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). The permitted annual capacities include one lakh metric tonnes of hazardous waste for landfill disposal, 8,000 metric tonnes for pre-processing for cement-kiln co-processing, 1,200 metric tonnes for collection and transportation of used or waste oil, and another 1,200 metric tonnes for used battery collection and transportation. The facility is also authorised to process up to 48,000 discarded containers annually.

Technical Safeguards and Monitoring

The government said the landfill facility consists of 13 designed secure landfill cells, of which six have been fully constructed and are operational. The facility had been designed in accordance with Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines and technically vetted by IIT Delhi. The landfill cells have double composite liner systems, engineered leachate collection arrangements and leak-detection mechanisms intended to prevent contamination of soil and groundwater.

According to the government, construction, commissioning and closure of landfill cells are also subjected to technical validation by IIT Delhi. The leachate generated at the facility is treated through a 20 KLD Multiple Effect Evaporator (MEE), the government said. The government said groundwater samples were collected twice a year from six monitoring locations around the facility. Meanwhile, the monitoring had not detected toxic heavy-metal contamination. However, elevated levels of total hardness, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese and total dissolved solids (TDS) had been observed, which the government attributed to natural ground conditions.

Industrial Impact of Potential Closure

The government said the Shivalik facility was currently the only authorised facility in Himachal Pradesh for the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of hazardous waste generated by industries across the state. It cautioned that shutting the facility without an alternative authorised TSDF could have a direct impact on industries dependent on it. According to the government, industrial units could be forced to suspend operations if hazardous waste could not be legally stored, treated or disposed of, as continued operations without proper disposal arrangements could result in illegal storage or disposal.

Decision on Lease Extension Pending

On the resolution passed by the Majra Gram Panchayat opposing extension of the plant's lease, the government said the matter remains under consideration. It said no final decision would be taken without detailed consultations with stakeholders, technical institutions and the concerned government departments. The government maintained that any decision would have to balance the concerns of residents with environmental safeguards and the need to ensure uninterrupted and legally compliant hazardous-waste management for industries across Himachal Pradesh.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)