The joint committee appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to oversee the debris removal process following the demolition of the four apartment buildings at Maradu is likely to suggest penal measures against those responsible for crossing the 45-day time-frame set by the Supreme Court.
The committee will submit its affidavit on debris removal before the tribunal on Friday.
The panel was formed after the NGT took suo motu cognisance of delay in removal of steel and concrete waste from the four sites. The joint committee consists of the District Collector, Ernakulam; Revenue Divisional Officer, Fort Kochi; Chief Environmental Engineer, Pollution Control Board, Ernakulam, and Secretary, Maradu Municipality.
The committee accepted the finding of the State Level Monitoring Committee (SLMC) on Solid Waste Management appointed by the tribunal that the process of segregation and removal of waste was not at the expected pace. The company engaged in segregating steel from the debris had sought a 20-day extension to complete its work.
It could realise only 60% of the target by the end of February.
The joint committee observed that any decision on extending the schedule for debris removal could be taken in accordance with the Supreme Court directives and the recommendations of the tribunal. It will inform the NGT that wind breakers were not set up around the sites as per the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules. The SLMC had asked the authorities to set up metal sheet barriers at a height of 35 feet at the demolition sites.
Inspections revealed that barriers provided on the roadside close to the Alfa Serene site had a height of only 15 feet. It was also found that geo textile barrier at a height of 10 feet was provided beside the backwaters near the Golden Kayaloram site, which was not sufficient to stop the flow of dust into nearby areas. Similarly, geo textile barrier at a height of only 10 feet was seen provided near the backwaters near Holy Faith H2O and Jain Coral Cove sites.
The committee will apprise the tribunal that there was no display of dust mitigation measures at the sites for public viewing. No protective measures like use of geo textiles were put in place in trenches near the lake side of Alfa Serene and Golden Kayaloram sites to prevent the flow of contaminated water into the backwaters.
