Gujarat NEWS : Rajkot Villagers to Receive Compensation After Eleven-Year Ordeal

RAJKOT, GUJARAT : Hundreds of villagers residing near the Nakravadi village in Rajkot, Gujarat, can finally breathe a sigh of relief after a long wait for justice. The Supreme Court recently vacated a stay order, allowing the disbursement of a total compensation of Rs 25 lakh awarded by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2013. This compensation will go towards alleviating the hardships faced by residents due to improper waste management at the landfill site.

“We’ve been living with this mess for over a decade now,” said Mahesh Desai, a resident of Nakravadi. “The stench was unbearable, and the flies were everywhere. We worried constantly about the health of our families, especially the children.”

The troubles began when Hanjer Biotech Energies (HBE), the company contracted to manage the solid waste and create a proper landfill site, failed to fulfill their obligations. The company, now bankrupt, never completed the project within the stipulated timeframe, leaving behind a mountain of untreated waste. This led to severe air and water pollution in the surrounding villages, particularly during the monsoon season when rainwater carried contaminants from the site towards homes and agricultural lands.

The NGT, recognizing the gravity of the situation, ordered compensation for residents living within a 500-meter radius of the landfill site. This included villages like Nakravadi, Pipaliya, Nagalpar, Khijadiya, Rajgadh, Sokhda, and Hadmatiya.

“The NGT order acknowledged the health risks and environmental damage caused by HBE’s negligence,” said Shailaben Patel, another resident involved in the petition. “While the compensation amount may not fully address the issue, it’s a step towards some form of reparation.”

However, the path to receiving the compensation was not without hurdles. HBE obtained a stay order on the disbursement in 2014, further delaying the relief for the affected villagers. It was only after an appeal filed by the villagers themselves that the Supreme Court finally cleared the way for the distribution of funds on May 7, 2024.

While the exact details regarding the recovery of the deposited amount from HBE remain unclear, the villagers are hopeful that the Rajkot collector’s office will handle the disbursement process swiftly and efficiently. This compensation, though long overdue, will hopefully provide some financial assistance to the residents who have endured the consequences of improper waste management for over a decade.