Pollution board imposes Rs 1.73-cr fine on Manali MC for contaminating Beas

The state Pollution Control Board has imposed a composite fine of Rs 1.73 crore on the Manali Municipal Council for causing polluting the environment and the Beas. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has also slapped a fine of Rs 4.6 crore on the MC, and the last date for its submission is December 19. The decision comes after the High Court of Himachal did not provide relief to the MC. Meanwhile, due to a political turmoil in the MC, the post of the president has been lying vacant since September 25.

The waste from the district was dumped at the Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) Plant at Rangri near Manali and various civic bodies paid Re 1 per kg of waste to the MC from 2019 to July 15, 2024. However, the MC officials abstained from divulging the details related to the income received from other civic bodies for the garbage. Due to this, the legacy waste piled up and now, leachate discharge from this waste was polluting the Beas and the environment. The MC had also received funds from the Urban Development Department and the government for the removal of legacy waste. However, the accumulated waste has not been removed despite the MC officials’ claim to have lifted it. The officials stated that machines were being installed by the new contractor, and that problem would soon be resolved.

The waste is being scattered near the national highway. The NGT, in its orders on May 29, had issued directions for the criminal prosecution under Sections 15, 16, 17 and 19 of Environment Protection Act, 1986, as the case might be against Kullu District Magistrate, Manali MC’s Executive Officer and Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department.

The High Court had so far stayed the operation of the impugned order as the instructions were issued regarding the criminal prosecution against the fourth petitioner - the Executive Officer of Manali MC - only. However, the MC has not deposited the fine and neither has the situation regarding the legacy waste improved.

However, residents of Manali are irked by the lackadaisical approach of the MC office-bearers and officials, due to which the civic body will have to bear a fine of around Rs 6 crore. Sanjeev, a resident of Manali, said a huge amount, which could be spent for development, would be used for the purpose of remediation, rejuvenation and restoration of the damaged environment, caused due to negligence of MC office-bearers and officials.

Local social activist Gautam Thakur said that the amount should be recovered from the negligent councillors and officers. The taxpayers of Manali should not be made to bear the brunt of the follies of the MC.