Although pollution control norms do not permit development within a certain distance around a hazardous waste landfill site, AMC has not initiated any action to creating a buffer zone.
Although pollution control norms do not permit development within a certain distance around a hazardous waste landfill site, the civic body has not initiated any action to creating a buffer zone.
According to CPCB norms, a buffer zone is the stretch of 500 metres around the boundary of a landfill site where no development can be permitted.
It seems that money needed for acquiring land is becoming a problem for Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and is also deterring the civic body from initiating action in this regard. As per AMC's estimate, a whopping Rs1,139 crore is required, according to the old jantri rates, for acquiring land to create buffer zone.
However, environment activists argue that the money should not be a concern when human lives are at stake.
The civic body's town planning department had estimated that AMC needs to acquire some 333 hectare land for creating buffer zone of 500 metres in the periphery of two hazardous landfill sites.
The department opined that there was no clarity on whether AMC or the state government would acquire the land.
The town planning department, in a letter to the municipal commissioner on March 17, 2011, stated that at the average jantri rate in the area, the land would cost around Rs1,139.18 crore. However, as per the jantri rate effective from April 1, 2011, the cost of land acquisition would be much higher as the rates have almost doubled, said sources in market.
Moreover, AMC needs to relocate a 25-year-old locality called Vinoba Bhave Nagar with some 1,000 households for creating buffer zone as the locality is within 300-metre distance of hazardous waste landfill site of The Green Environment Services Cooperative Society of Vatva Industrial Estate.
Meanwhile, environment activists believe that money should not be considered when thousands of lives are at risk. Rohit Prajapati, an environment activist said, "The civic body or the state government should create buffer zone in the periphery of 500 metres of hazardous landfill site and take required actions, as it is the question of many lives."
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