Complaint filed against Okhla plant

NEW DELHI: Alarmed by the dust and pollution from the Okhla waste-to-energy plant, environmental activist Gopal Krishna has registered a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission. In his complaint, he has quoted letters from around 100 doctors regarding the public health crisis caused by the emissions.
“Prior to this, the Delhi high court and parliamentary standing committee on urban development has ruled against such hazardous incinerator or combustion technologies.Such plants pose a grave threat to the health and environment of residential areas of Narela, Bawana and Ghazipur. I seek the commission’s urgent intervention to address the issue of health rights of residents of present and future generations,” the complaint states. Krishna, of ToxicsWatch Alliance, has also enclosed TOI’s report dated March 25, about doctors from Holy Family Hospital and several others writing to the PM regarding the issue.
Meanwhile, there has been dust and fly ash fall from the plant on several days. “The National Green Tribunal had asked us to notify Delhi Pollution Control Committee and Central Pollution Control Board of each time there is dust fall,” said a Sukhdev Vihar resident. However, neither DPCC nor CPCB have not filed any action-taken report (actions taken to control dust fall) based on their complaints. Residents, on Sunday, wrote to both agencies explaining that they need the action-taken report so that it can be submitted to NGT.
“Excessive dust fall was noticed, reported and inspected by you in December, January and February. We understand, the plant proponent were issued warning letters and show-cause notice. But the action taken report for the same remains unreported to NGT,” the letter said.