MNRE Must Scrap its Incinerator Promoting Waste to Energy Policy

Note: The protest against waste to energy projects based on incineration of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) in Delhi and in other parts of the country is being led by an alliance of environmental groups, wastepickers and residents of the affected areas.
Ministry of New & Renewable Energy must scrap its policy of promoting incinerator technologies in various disguises. Like Jairam Ramesh, the Union Environment Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New & Renewal Energy must visit Okhla's plant site located amid residential colinies like Hazi colony, Gaffar Manzil, Sukhdev Vihar, Eshwar Nagar, Jamia Nagar and address their gnawing public health concerns due to a technology promoted by his ministry.

Gopal Krishna
ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)

Jairam meets activists over waste project

Apr 02, 2011 | Age Correspondent| New Delhi

Minister of environment Jairam Ramesh met a group of protesters living in colonies located around the controversial Timarpur-Okhla waste to energy project, owned by Jindal Ecopolis, at Paryavaran Bhawan on Friday.

They demanded that the minister take immediate steps to stop these waste to energy projects coming up in Okhla, Timarpur, Ghazipur and Narela-Bawana. The minister directed Bharat Bhushan, a director in MoEF, to examine their concerns and submit a detailed document. He has already asked Dr S.P. Gautam, chairman of the Central Pollution Control Board, to conduct a technical analysis to look into the spectrum of emission and pollution issues emanating from this plant.

Mr Ramesh, while making an on-the-spot appraisal on Thursday, had admitted that the Jindal Ecoplois had violated the law because while the clearance had originally been given to IL&FS, they had auctioned the project to the Jindal company. The minister had clarified that when the project promoter changes, they should have informed the ministry. Gopal Krishna of Toxic Waste Alliance, who has been leading this agitation, warned that the waste to energy plants use incinerators and furnaces that emit dioxins and toxic oxides, which are dangerous.

http://www.asianage.com/delhi/jairam-meets-activists-over-waste-project-239