Nearly 1,000 residents from high-rise societies and nearby villages protested against the shifting of the dumpsite from Sector 138 A to Sector 123.
Today, nearly 1,000 residents from high-rise societies and nearby villages protested against the shifting of the garbage dumpsite from Sector 138 A to Sector 123, Noida, and the coming up of the proposed waste-to-energy plant in the sector. The area is densely populated and setting up such a plant will pose health risks for all — residents, animals and birds alike — claimed the protesters.
Residents of sectors including 117, 118, 119, 120, 121 and 122, and of neighbouring villages such as Behlolpur, Sarfabad, Sorkha, Parthala Khanjarpur and Ghari Chaukhandi participated in the march, which started from Gate No 4 of Noida Stadium and ended at Noida Authority’s office in Sector 6.
Protesters also submitted a letter to Alok Tandon, Noida Authority chairman and CEO.
The 25-acre proposed waste-to-energy site is just 175 m from Homes 121, violating the norms of Solid Waste Management Rules of 2016. According to it, a landfill site should be located at least 100 m from a riverbed and 200 m from water bodies, highways, habitation, public parks and water-supply wells. Also, landfills are not permitted near floodplains and should be at least 20 km away from airports.
Anupam Oberai, a resident of Sector 122, said, “We can see a Ghazipur-like dump coming up next to our homes. This will be a huge health hazard to people living in the neighbourhood. We will not allow Noida Authority to do this to us.”
When City Spidey contacted Rajesh Kumar, officer on special duty of Noida Authority, he said, “We have received the letter and will discuss the matter with the CEO soon.”
In 2013, the Authority had proposed a landfill site on 25 acres of land in Sector 123 to get rid of the city’s municipal solid waste. However, the authority changed its stand and promised to shift the site when people from nearby housing complexes — namely in sectors 119, 120, 121 and 122 — filed a petition with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) objecting to the project.
Thereafter, Noida Authority started dumping a major part of the waste on a vacant plot in Sector 138 A.
But in October this year, NGT directed the Authority to stop dumping waste illegally in Sector 138 A, and ordered it to set up a waste-to-energy plant in Sector 123. This directive led the Authority to return to its decision to use the Sector 123 site, drawing flak from residents living in the vicinity.
