Dadumajra waste plant: Chandigarh MC files caveat pleas on termination notice

Two days after it served a termination contract to Jaypee group to handover the Dadumajra waste plant by March 12, the municipal corporation (MC) on Saturday filed a caveat petition in the Supreme Court, Punjab and Haryana high court, Chandigarh district court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT)

The caveat is a precautionary measure, which is taken by a person or institution having apprehension that another case may be filed against them related to any manner, and that they should be heard adequately before any action.

“In its caveat, MC requested these courts that in case Jaypee challenges the termination notice pertaining to the waste processing plant, the civic body should be properly heard,” MC commissioner KK Yadav said.

He said MC terminated the contract with Jaypee in the wake of an NGT order on February 12, wherein the civic body was given a month to make alternative arrangements if it was not satisfied with the group’s working.

He said the MC signed an agreement with Jaypee in 2005 for setting up the garbage processing plant. But in the past few years, it was observed that the plant was not being operated to its optimum capacity. “The plant was only processing 120 metric tonnes of waste against the daily generation of 450 metric tonnes, while the remaining was being illegally dumped in the open dumping ground opposite the plant,” Yadav said.

JAYPEE SILENT

So far, Jaypee has not made any statement in the latest row. The group’s local manager NK Vohra said the higher bosses were contemplating over the matter, even as Yadav said Jaypee had been asked to hand over the plant by March 12. “In case they fail to do so, our staff will take control of it,” he said.

Meanwhile, the civic body has deployed a surveillance team at the plant to prevent removal of any equipment from the premises. “We will make all efforts to increase the plant’s processing capacity and also start the process to upgrade it,” Yadav said.