Pune: In a significant legal victory for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of allowing the waste processing plant on Baner-Sus Road to continue operations.

This plant, with a daily capacity to process 200 tons of wet waste, converts waste into slurry, which is transported to Talegaon Dabhade for the production of CNG gas.

Managed by Noble Exchange Environment Solutions, the plant is a key part of the city’s waste management strategy.

The Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by local residents, which had initially succeeded in the National Green Tribunal (NGT), leading to an order in 2020 for the plant's relocation.

The PMC challenged this order in the Supreme Court, arguing that the site had been earmarked for waste processing in its 2005 development plan and had been approved by the state government.

The plant started functioning in 2016, but as residential development increased in the area, local residents raised objections, citing concerns about environmental and health impacts.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court instructed the PMC to ensure that the plant operates using scientifically sound methods and that all necessary precautions are taken to prevent any inconvenience to nearby residents.

The court also mandated regular inspections of the plant by the Pollution Control Board to ensure compliance with environmental standards.

While the legal battle was ongoing, the PMC had searched for alternative sites and even sought 75 gunthas of reserved land near Nande village for the relocation of the plant.

However, this proposal faced opposition from local villagers, leaving the civic body in a difficult position. The court’s decision to allow the Baner-Sus plant to continue provides much-needed relief to the PMC, which can now focus on maintaining proper operations at the existing facility.

The case had gained attention due to the involvement of political figures such as then Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, former Guardian Minister Chandrakant Patil, and MP Medha Kulkarni, who supported the residents’ demand to shut down the project.