Don’t want waste plant in area, say residents of Dadu Majra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 30
As expected, residents of Dadu Majra today said they were not in a favour of the setting up of an integrated waste processing plant in their area. They suggested the authorities should find an alternative site in the city or its surroundings for the facility.
They put forth their suggestions during a public hearing held at the Community Centre, Sector 38 (West), which was held following the directions of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to the Municipal Corporation (MC).
The MC had earlier approached the ministry for the environmental clearance for the plant.
Around 200 residents attended the public hearing and spoke one by one from the dais. Local resident Dyal Krishan said, “Our life has become a living hell due to a foul smell constantly emanating from the dump. Authorities made big promises when the dumping ground was set up here and also when a plant under the Jaypee firm was made functional, but nothing was done to mitigate local residents’ sufferings. We do not want any plant here.”
“Residents living near the Dadu Majra dumping ground are suffering from asthma, TB and skin-related ailments. It is also a big environment concern here. The authorities should open three-four small processing plants in parts of the city instead. It will also save on transportation cost,” said another resident.
Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh, MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra, Mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor and Member Secretary, Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee, TC Nautiyal were also present.
The representatives of the ministry and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), which has recommended technology for the waste plant, were also there. Before the public hearing, Mitra made a presentation about the plant.
The MC has started the process for setting up the plant of 550 tonne per day capacity on 15 acres at Dadu Majra. At present, the city’s garbage is managed at a temporary facility.