Mohali: New sectors need resource management centres, say residents

Gaurav Kanthwal

Mohali, June 17

Several newly developed and developing sectors in Mohali have been facing problems with waste management because of the absence of proper waste collection and resource management centres (RMC), residents pointed out.

The problem of segregation of waste (wet and dry) is another major issue that has not been resolved so far. There are many pockets in and around the district where there is no mechanism for segregation of waste. Residents panned GMADA for not providing RMC points and blamed the MC for not improperly segregating waste in the city.

As a result, mountains of garbage are piling up at the dumping ground, and heaps of garbage have been lying in urban areas alongside the roads.

Mohali MC Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi has written to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to issue instructions to the GMADA officials to set up separate resource management centre (RMC) points and processing units in new sectors to improve the sanitation of the city.

In his letter, Bedi said that at present, the sanitation of the city is in a bad state due to the negligence of GMADA officials. He said new sectors such as Sectors 90 and 91, TDI, Aero City, IT City, and private sector coloniser sectors were developed, and GMADA gave all necessary permission to build roads and sewers; however, the body did not provide a place for RMC points to collect the waste of the residents.

He said, “People are suffering, and the sanitation situation in the city is very bad. All these sectors are currently outside the limits of the Municipal Corporation.”

At present, the residents’ welfare associations of the new sectors and colonies have arranged to collect the garbage at their level, and the builders in some of the sectors have been helping out; however, all the garbage is brought to the dumping ground of the city to be dumped, which leads to a mountain of garbage. Bedi said garbage has started accumulating in excess of the guidelines. Similarly, strict instructions are being given by the National Green Tribunal to the Municipal Corporation.

Bedi said the situation is precarious because no resource management centre points have been set up by GMADA, private builders, or developers. He said GMADA should set up another dumping ground in the city immediately, along with a waste processing plant with new technology, as the Mohali Municipal Corporation has neither land nor funds to set up such a plant.