West Bengal Environment Minister Manas Bhuniya on Monday said he has sought a detailed report from officials on the recent National Green Tribunal (NGT) ruling in the wake of the state’s alleged failure to treat solid and liquid waste. The green bench recently imposed a penalty of Rs 3,500 crore on the state, observing that there was not much initiative on the part of the government in prioritising solid and sewage treatment in urban areas.
Bhuniya, who took over as the environment minister a month ago, said that he was yet to go through the original order of NGT, and had found about the ruling from newspaper reports. “I have asked for a detailed report on the situation (of waste management) from department officials, and principal secretary Roshni Sen. We are also seeking updates from West Bengal Pollution Control Board, too. Views of municipal affairs and urban development department are crucial on the whole matter,” he told PTI.
The minister added that once he got all details, he would come up with a concrete action plan to deal with the shortcomings, if any, and make an announcement to that effect. Environmentalist S M Ghosh, however, said the order should act as a wake up call for the state government, “which had never taken up the waste management and sewerage treatment plan in a proper manner.
Another green activist, Subhas Dutta, who had been instrumental in drawing NGT’s attention to problems of pollution in the past, said, “We are extremely happy with this order. Let the state spend some money for people and posterity.”
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