A2Z secures green nod for proposed waste plant at Jamalpur

Garbage collection company A2Z received approval from the Ministry of Environment and Forests to establish a waste management plant at Jamalpur in Ludhiana. It may be recalled that the proposed plant, which would treat 1,000 tonne of waste, had been awaiting the environmental clearance since March 2012, when the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation had sent a proposal in this regard. The Punjab and Haryana High Court earlier directed the ministry to take a decision by February 4, 2013 after residents of Jamalpur filed a case against the setting up of the plant. Now the ministry has given approval after seeing the past records of Ludhiana being the most polluted city of the world as per UN in 2011. It is learnt that the dumping site at Jamalpur is in a pathetic condition at present with no plant to treat the waste. In the light of provisions under the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006, the proposal has been appraised, the ministry said in a letter. Expert Appraisal Committee after due consideration of the relevant documents submitted by the project proponent and additional clarifications furnished in response to its observations, have recommended for the grant of environmental clearances for the project. Accordingly, the ministry hereby accords necessary environment clearance for the project, the letter notes.