Surat Municipal Corporation Launches Probe into Massive Illegal Waste Dumping
The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) took decisive action on Thursday. It formed a high-level five-member committee to investigate a serious environmental violation. The committee will examine the illegal dumping of untreated municipal waste at Kakaria village in Surat district.
Committee Composition and Mandate
This special committee comprises senior SMC officials. It includes two IAS officers serving as deputy municipal commissioners, Dinesh Gurav and Nidhi Siwach. Deputy Municipal Commissioner Swati Desai is also a member. In-charge City Engineer D C Bhagwagar and Additional City Engineer Ashish Naik complete the team.
The panel has a clear mandate. It will probe how the unauthorized waste dumping operation was executed. The investigation will also cover the financial aspects of this racket. The committee aims to uncover the full extent of the malpractice.
Details of the Environmental Violation
A preliminary inquiry by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) revealed alarming facts. Unprocessed waste collected from Surat city was dumped directly onto private land in Kakaria. This waste was supposed to go to the Khajod waste disposal plant for proper treatment.
After processing, this material could be sold or supplied to private parties. However, the system failed completely. The waste bypassed the treatment plant entirely. It ended up dumped on open land, causing significant environmental harm.
The scale of the dumping is massive. GPCB estimates indicate about 500 truckloads of waste were illegally deposited at the site. There are suspicions that this waste included hazardous biomedical materials, raising further health concerns.
Immediate Actions and Penalties
The SMC has already imposed a substantial penalty. It fined the agency responsible for the dumping a hefty Rs 2.50 crore. This financial penalty underscores the seriousness with which authorities view this violation.
Simultaneously, the corporation has initiated disciplinary proceedings. Show-cause notices have been issued to five SMC officials for their alleged negligence in this matter.
- Environment Engineer Sharad Kaklotar received a notice for failing to monitor whether processed waste was actually removed from the waste processing plant.
- Executive Engineer Rakesh Modi was issued a notice for delays in the tender process for waste management.
- Three solid waste department officials—Assistant Engineer Mohsin Pathan, Sanitary Inspector Abbas Pathan, and Sanitary Sub-Inspector Dipak Patel—were also served notices. They were stationed at the waste processing plant and were responsible for monitoring waste movement.
The committee's investigation is now underway. It seeks to establish accountability and prevent such environmental breaches in the future. The people of Surat await a thorough and transparent inquiry into this disturbing incident.
