CM sticks to stand on waste-to-energy plant

Dikshit gave her assurance that the plant was being built after procuring all the required environmental clearances, and no health hazards would be caused due to it. However, residents fear that the plant would end up poisoning the food and water in the area — leading to health hazards.

According to a press release from the residents, the meeting was a fiasco because Dikshit refused to listen to them. "Even Minister of Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh, in a letter to the Chief Minister dated April 1, had pointed out several anomalies and violations in constructing the plant. However, she insisted that it was safe," complained Ranjith, a resident.

Residents said Dikshit was only interested in articulating the version of the plant operator Jindal Ecopolis, which had bought the plant from a susbidiary of Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services but is yet to get clearance from the MoEF, as pointed out by Ramesh in his letter.

"The Chief Minister, however, was dismissive of this and other violations surrounding the plant, including the failure to conduct a proper public hearing before the project was launched," the release said.

A release from the Chief Minister's office said she has directed the Secretary (Environment) to make all copies of scientific studies and project reports, pointing out the safety aspects of the plant, available to the public. She further requested the residents of Okhla to get environmentalists and scientists to look at the reports and submit feasible solutions within a week.

In a related development, the Lieutenant-Governor's office has called for a meeting on municipal incinerators and the role of the Union Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, which is promoting such technologies.

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