New Delhi, 28 April (H.S.): The National Green Tribunal’s Principal Bench has dismissed a petition challenging the proposed construction of a Fixed Compacting Transfer Station (FCTS) in the Basai Dara Pur area of West Delhi. The bench, comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Dr. Afroz Ahmed, held that there was no concrete evidence of violation of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) norms in the site‑selection process and emphasised the need for such facilities in solid‑waste management.
The petitioner, Pravidhan Raksha Foundation, had argued that the FCTS planned near Gudh Dhariala mohalla, Punjabi Bagh (West), violates CPCB standard operating procedures (SOPs) and site‑selection criteria. It alleged that the proposed station was being set up in a densely populated area, close to religious sites and schools, and would therefore aggravate environmental and health risks.
However, the tribunal found that the available record and evidence did not substantiate any clear breach of the prescribed site‑selection standards. The bench also noted that transfer stations of this kind are essential for efficient solid‑waste collection and transportation, especially in a high‑population metro like Delhi.
The tribunal observed that about 80 per cent of the FCTS construction work had already been completed, and halting the project at that stage would cause unnecessary disruption to the city’s waste‑management chain. It therefore declined to interfere with the project on the ground of public interest and infrastructural necessity.
The NGT directed that the FCTS must be operated strictly in compliance with CPCB SOPs. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has been asked to monitor the operation and ensure that there is no deviation from environmental‑safety norms.
Separately, the tribunal expressed concern over the improper management of an existing dumping yard (dhalaav) in the area and allowed the petitioner to file a written representation, supported by evidence, before the Municipal Commissioner.
The bench instructed the concerned authority to take prompt action on receipt of the representation, including immediate cleaning and proper management of the site, to mitigate pollution and public‑health hazards.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
