Supreme Court Committeee Orders Sealing of Okhla Biomedical Waste Incinerator

Supreme Court vide its order dated 24.03.2006 passed in IA No. 22 in WP ( C) No. 4677/1985 in the matter of MC Mehta Vs. Union of India & others has appointed a Monitoring Committee with the following members:-Shri K.J. Rao, Former adviser to Election Commission of India, Shri Bhure Lal, Chairman, E.P.C.A. and Major Genenral (Retd) S.P. Jhingon, Kirti Chakra, VSM. The Monitoring Committee functions from India Habitat Centre, 6-A, Lobby Office, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110 003.

As per a report of the Monitoring Committee dated October 7, 2011, it has ordered sealing of the hazardous biomedical waste incinerator plant after the site visit by K.J. Rao and Maj Gen (Retd) S P Jhingon. The order is yet to be complied with. ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)has written to the Monitoring Committee drawing its attention towards the violation of its order. The letter is given below.

Letter to Supreme Court's Monitoring Committee Against Misuse of Property in Residential Areas

To

Shri K.J. Rao
Member
Supreme Court Monitoring Committee
New Delhi

Subject- Sealing of Commercial & Industrial Establishments in Residential Premises

Sir,

This is to draw your attention towards the biomedical waste incinerator plant and the construction of municipal waste to energy incinerator in the Sukhdev Vihar residential area which is surrounded by university, schools, hospitals, bird sanctuary and several other residential areas of Okhla.

I have learnt from the residents that as per a report dated October 7, 2011, the Monitoring Committee constituted by the Hon’ble Supreme Court had recommended sealing of the hazardous biomedical waste incinerator plant after the site visit by you and Maj Gen (Retd) S P Jhingon.

I submit that so far the recommendations of the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee have not been complied with. I also submit that the municipal waste to energy incinerator in the area is also based on the same hazardous incinerator technology that emits persistent organic pollutants like Dioxins and toxic heavy metals like Mercury. Incinerators are tried, tested and failed technology. I wish to know if the Monitoring Committee has made any recommendation with regard to waste to energy incinerator plant as well. If the recommendations are not confidential, is it possible to get its complete text?

I am an environmental health researcher and an applicant in the hazardous wastes case in the Supreme Court. I have been an invitee to Supreme Court Monitoring Committee on Hazardous Wastes, Supreme Court Committee on Waste to Energy and Supreme Court Technical Experts Committee on Hazardous Wastes relating to Ship breaking besides having been an invitee to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on. Science & Technology, Environment & Forests.

I wish to submit research papers and relevant documents to the Monitoring Committee to help prevent public health disaster due to biomedical waste incinerator plant and the construction of municipal waste to energy incinerator plant in the Okhla area.

A delegation of residents and environmental groups would like to meet you to apprise you of the emerging situation due to these commercial and industrial establishments in residential premises.

Thanking You

Yours Faithfully
Gopal Krishna
Convener
ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)
New Delhi
Phone: +91-11-2651781
Fax: +91-11-26517814
Mb: 9818089660
Web: toxicswatch.blogspot.com