SC permits opening of energy generating garbage projects

New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) The Supreme Court today permitted the reopening of projects generating energy from waste and garbage and gave a green signal for undertakings at Lucknow, Indore, Hyderabad,Vijaywada and Rajasthan on trial basis.

The petitioner had earlier opposed the reopening of these projects on the ground that public money running into crores of rupees was being wasted by the Central government in these projects.

According to the petitioners the technology being used in these projects has already been rejected by many countries in the world as unviable.

The reopening of the projects was approved by a high-powered experts committee headed by Central Pollution Control Board Chairman D K Biswas.

Counsel for the petitioner, Almitra H Patel told a bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice RV Raveendran that the whole project was a big scandal and the government of India was a party to it , a contention which was strongly opposed by Solicitor General G E Vahanvati. The petitioner also contended that 34 MOUs have been signed with private firms which are using outdated technology to utilise urban waste and garbage for generating energy.

Mr Vahanvati however contended that the 'Composters' was not the only technology for garbage treatment.

The Court also told the petitioner " We are not running the government. We are not concerned with the success of the technology and we are only concerned with the bonafide of the action of the government.Reports are manipulated and produced in the court." The Court however modified its order dated May 6,2005 banning these projects and permitted the five projects to resume their operation.

UNI