CUTTACK: The East Zone bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered to halt dumping chromium-bearing waste by a private chrome ore beneficiation company in an abandoned laterite quarry on the premises of Dharmashala Mahavidyalaya in Jajpur district, citing environmental concerns and the need to apply the precautionary principle.
The bench comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert members A Senthil Vel and Ishwar Singh passed the interim order on September 29, the web copy of which was uploaded on Tuesday.
The case arose from a petition filed by Jajpur resident Satish Kumar Biswal, who alleged that waste generated by the company during chrome ore beneficiation operations was being illegally dumped in the abandoned quarry located on the college premises. Advocate Debadutta Kanungo appeared on Biswal’s behalf.
During the hearing, the company contended that the dumping was being carried out in accordance with conditions contained in a Consent to Operate (CTO) issued by the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) on August 22, 2023.
However, the Tribunal observed that while waste containing chromium was being dumped at the site, the OSPCB had not issued any specific authorisation for use of the abandoned quarry or for the particular category of waste disposed there.
“Chromium and/or Chromium (III) compounds with concentration of 5.0 mg/L are included under hazardous waste categories prescribed in the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016,” the bench noted. Invoking section 20 of the National Green Tribunal Act, which mandates application of the precautionary principle, the Tribunal directed that no further waste be dumped at the site until further orders.
