At Chandigarh MC House meet today, AAP set to oppose new Dadu Majra waste unit

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 5

The municipal corporation will take up the agenda for setting up of a new waste processing plant at its general House meeting on Tuesday.

The move is expected to face opposition from the AAP, which has been demanding shifting of the plant from Dadu Majra to Sector 25.

At the last House meeting, the AAP’s area councillor had threatened to take to the streets if the plant was approved at Dadu Majra.

The councillor contends the setting of the plant would lead to foul smell and cause inconvenience to already affected residents of the area. The Congress has so far not opened its cards on the location issue, while the ruling BJP is in favour of the move.

Following a suggestion of councillors at a high-powered committee recently, the MC had reduced the project period from 25 years to 15 years. The plant is proposed to be set up at the site where the first part of legacy waste has been cleared.

The MC had taken over the plant from Jaypee firm nearly three years ago, but failed to set up a new plant. Following an inspection in August 2020, the IIT-Roorkee had observed all machines at the Sector 25 plant had already completed their lifespan. It had recommended setting up of a modern tonne per day (TPD) plant to treat dry and wet waste.

Rough estimates for the processing of fresh waste of the city at the dumping ground in Dadu Majra and creation of temporary posts for a solid waste management cell for one year are the other two items on the agenda.

At odds over garbage mess

• AAP has opposed setting up of plant at Dadu Majra, saying it will cause inconvenience to area residents; it wants site shifted to Sec 25
• The Congress has so far kept its cards close to the chest on the issue of location, while the ruling BJP is in favour of the move
• Plant is proposed to come up at site where first part of legacy waste has been cleared; MC has reduced project period from 25 to 15 years