In a reprieve to the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, the Jaypee Group has not only agreed to run the garbage processing plant at Dadu Majra but also install another compost plant with a capacity of 300 MT during the hearing of the case at Delhi today.
Officials of the company and the MC sat together on the instance of the NGT and both agreed that the company will upgrade the plant and install another compost plant with its own resources. The NGT will form a high-powered committee to oversee the functioning of the plant for next nine months. If the plant failed to perform to satisfaction, the committee will then allow the MC to take over it.
sThe terms and conditions of the agreement will be finalised before the next date of the hearing, which is scheduled for July 18.
The court had kept the matter of tipping fee to the arbitrators, saying it had no concern with the issue.
As the hearing started, the court was of the view that both parties should reach a consensus for the welfare of the city residents.
The NGT asked the Municipal Commissioner and managing director of the company to be present personally at today’s hearing. The company had challenged the MC’s decision of terminating the contract of the plant by saying that the move was malafide. Arun Sood, former Mayor, who attended the hearing, said the MC succeeded in convincing the court that the firm defaulted on many occasions. “It failed to keep the promises made before the NGT for running the plant,” he added.
Sood further said it had not been processing the full intake of garbage for months. Reports in this regard were also presented before the court. It was also informed that the CPCC had also served a notice to the plant. Devinder Singh Babla, a Congress councillor, said he supported the MC, rising over the politics, as the issue involved the larger interest of society.
Mayor Asha Jaswal said it was a win-win situation for the MC as they would not spend a single penny on the upgrade of the plant as whole expenditure would be borne by the company.
NGT panel to oversee working
- Officials of the company and the MC sat together and both agreed that the company will upgrade the plant and install another compost plant with its own resources.
- The NGT will form a high-powered panel to oversee the working of the plant for next nine months. If the plant failed to perform to satisfaction, the committee will then allow the MC to take over it.