GPCB Takes Action Against Ahmedabad's Pirana Garbage Mountain
The Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) has escalated its regulatory oversight by issuing a formal show-cause notice to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). This legal action specifically targets the massive garbage accumulation, colloquially termed the "garbage mountain," situated within a mere 200 meters of Dhoraji Society in the Pirana locality. The notice underscores significant failures in solid waste handling and disposal protocols at the site.
Complaint and Ministerial Directive Trigger Investigation
The regulatory process was initiated following a formal complaint lodged on December 30 last year by local resident Mohammad Kaleem Siddiqui. The situation gained considerable urgency when the office of the Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change intervened, directing the pollution control authority on January 5 to thoroughly investigate the alleged environmental threat. This ministerial directive is explicitly referenced within the show-cause notice issued by the GPCB.
Inspection Reveals Critical Lapses in Waste Management
In response, the GPCB's Ahmedabad city regional office conducted a detailed field inspection on January 8. The subsequent inspection report highlighted multiple instances of non-compliance with established solid waste management regulations. These documented lapses prompted the Board to commence legal proceedings under the relevant environmental protection statutes. The GPCB has mandated that the civic body formally respond to the notice and present a comprehensive plan of corrective actions to remedy the deficiencies and prevent ongoing environmental degradation.
Residents Voice Frustration Over Unfulfilled Promises
According to complainant Mohammad Kaleem Siddiqui, the AMC has repeatedly assured various judicial bodies that the Pirana garbage mound would be completely eliminated by 2021. "However, more than six years after that deadline, not even fifty percent of the remediation work has been completed," he stated. Local residents have further alleged that waste removal efforts have been selectively focused only on the sections visible from the national highway and the main road leading to Pirana. Meanwhile, the garbage pile adjacent to residential areas continues to expand unabated.
Official Confirmation and Broader Health Concerns
In an official communication dated February 21, A J Patel, the Executive Engineer and Unit Head for Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), confirmed that the AMC has been instructed to ensure the "scientific disposal" of the accumulated waste at the Pirana site. The environmental and health concerns are amplified by the proximity of the dump yard. Besides Dhoraji Society, several other residential complexes are located dangerously close to the waste site, raising serious apprehensions among the community regarding potential long-term health risks and environmental contamination.
