The dumping of waste material outside a scrap yard at Bethora-Ponda has angered the Jana Seva Sangh, amid fears that the waste could have an adverse impact on the environment.
According to reports, stacks of scrap material like plastic and glass has been dumped outside the scrap yard located along the Bethora bypass road at Bond-Baag in Bethora-Nirankal Panchayat.
“This act of the scrap yard owner is unacceptable as it could have an adverse impact on the environment in the long run. We are not against scrap yards, but the manner in which some scrap yard owners, especially the one at Bethora, have dumped waste material beyond their boundaries is objectionable. What will happen to the waste dumped once the government shifts these scrap yards into the industrial zones,” asked Paresh Dhavlikar, president of Jana Seva Sangh.
“The scrap yard owner may even refuse to remove the waste on grounds that it is not their scrap,” he added.
“Scrap yards are helpful as they manage unwanted or waste material. But here, it’s a different case. Material which has no resale value has been dumped outside the compound wall. What is the use of scrap yards when they cannot manage unwanted or waste material effectively,” asked Dhavlikar.
“It is high time that the government takes immediate action against such activities before it is too late. I will also write to various authorities demanding action in the matter,” he added.
When contacted, Bethora-Nirankal Sarpanch Poonam Samant said the panchayat had already taken action to direct the scrap yard owner to remove the scrap material stored outside his compound wall.
“Recently, the scrap yard owner was served a notice to clear the area and the work was in progress. We will see to it that the entire waste dumped outside the scrap yard compound is removed from the site,” assured Samant.
Samant informed that the panchayat had also acted against two illegal scrap yards that were set up recently. “We will not allow any more scrap yards in the village. We recently removed two such scrap yards which were set up in secluded places,” she said.
There are about 13 scrap yards set up some years ago in the village and according to information, the previous government had proposed to identify a place in the industrial estates to shift these scrap yards.
“The previous government had instructed the panchayat not to take action as the process to identify a place in the industrial zone to shift these scrap yards was in progress,” added Samant.
