Open house: How the Panchkula administration can resolve dumping of garbage at Jhuriwala?

The tendency to keep one’s area clean and dump your garbage in another area will continue drawing protests and resentment. Proper waste management system has to be planned. The solution should be eco-friendly and cost effective. A team of experts needs to study waste management methods applied by other developed cities

Sapna Sharda, Chandigarh

QUESTION

In vision document ‘Future Ready Chandigarh — 2030 & Beyond’, the United Nations Development Programme has found that among the current challenges faced by Chandigarh residents, the most troublesome is garbage collection and its disposal. What steps should the Municipal Corporation take to redress the problem?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com

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Shift dumping site

The vociferous protests by the residents of trans-Ghaggar sectors in Panchkula to press their demand for relocating the garbage dumping ground at Jhuriwala on the Panchkula-Yamunanagar highway appear genuine for many reasons than one. The Panchkula administration needs to wake up from its deep slumber and take an urgent call on the problem of plenty, who are exposed to many diseases, precisely asthmatic, respiratory, among others. It would do better by relocating the dumping ground to a place away from the residential areas and the highway.

RAMESH K DHIMAN, Chandigarh

Garbage collection and disposal faulty

Garbage collection, segregation and disposal is faulty, inadequate and a pain in the neck of people living around this newly created garbage dumping ground at trans-Ghaggar sectors in Panchkula. Within no time, there will be a mountain of garbage like the one at Delhi. The Haryana Government must build a high boundary wall around this dumping ground with one entry only. There must be a segregation of dry, wet and metal or glass garbage. The garbage must be processed on a daily basis so that it doesn’t stink and cause a nuisance in the area.

Capt Amar Jeet, Kharar

Use recycled plastic waste in making roads

It is high time we recycle waste rather than making waste dump hills like Dadu Majra, Jhuriwala. Plastic waste should be recycled in making roads, flower pots, garden benches, paver tiles, bricks, etc. Organic waste should be recycled into making garden manure. Lastly, waste which cannot be recycled should be used for refilling of landfills in low lying areas. The administration should ensure that mountain of waste is not allowed to flourish under the garb of waste disposal.

TBS Bedi, Chandigarh

Move dump to south of TBRL grounds

Present dumping site at Jhuriwala is 1 km from Panchkula sectors on the east and the wind flow causes foul smell. Wind direction is 90 per cent times east to west or vice versa. The stench travels along the winds to Panchkula sectors. Shifting the dumping site should be done to south of TBRL grounds at Ramgarh which will be about 5 km from outer sectors.

Ashok Kumar Goel, Panchkula

Find alternative site away from city

Protesters at Jhuriwala are representing thousands of residents of trans-Ghaggar area living in a stinking environment. The NGT has already rejected the present site. The government following NGT norms must find an alternative site away from the residential area immediately.

RP Malhotra

Don’t throw garbage into Ghaggar

It is true that people are facing foul smell of the dumping grounds everywhere. The Panchkula administration has also totally failed to solve the problem. They do not make proper planning of dumping ground due to a wide gap between preception and practice. Necessity is the mother of invention. It should neither put garbage into the Ghaggar river nor spread it on its banks. Panchkula has a large open space for dumping ground. It should start a garbage recycling plant there. The recycling plant will create job opportunities and cleanliness, but the plant should be far away from the residential area. Big chimneys should be arranged at the site for outlets of foul smell.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

200 metric tonne waste generated daily

The 12 acres of forest land in Jhuriwala was converted into a dumping ground. Residents are the ones who are expected to bear with the smell and dump. Panchkula MC must look for an alternative dumping site as every human has the right to breathe fresh and pure air. Panchkula generates around 200 metric tonne garbage daily and the MC must look for an alternative to clear the same.

Garv Bhupesh

Adopt Chandigarh waste disposal model

Develop an alternative garbage disposal site with suggestion from RWA. Disposing of garbage dump is an uphill task for the Panchkula administration. The administration should initiate the garbage segregation policy as adopted by Chandigarh. The residents of Panchkula should be trained to turn waste into manure at home. Anyone dumping garbage at unauthorised places should be fined heavily.

Sunny Dhaliwal,Chandigarh

All agencies should work in tandem

The issue affects the lives of the residents of the area, thus the demand for shifting the site to some other place seems to be genuine. Keeping in view the nature and gravity of the issue, authorities should not ignore it and efforts should be made to resolve it. The MC officials have failed to find a solution to where the residents want to shift the dump site immediately. I feel a joint committee of MC officials and members of residents welfare associations should be formed to find out the way. Authorities should keep public interest above politics and take it on a priority basis. All agencies should work in tandem to resolve the issue.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

Upgrade waste processing unit

Residents of trans-Ghaggar sectors in Panchkula are protesting the dumping of garbage at Jhuriwala on the Panchkula-Yamunanagar highway. They have demanded the shifting of the dumping ground citing foul smell. The Panchkula administration should resolve the issue immediately. The dumping ground should be shifted to a separate area where no one lives. The administration should upgrade the waste processing unit. There should be a prohibition on non-biodegradable products. Recycled materials should be preferred. Everyone must follow the principle of reduce, reuse and recycle. The composting technique should be followed. These steps will help in reducing the problem of dump waste as well as generate employment. Odour monitoring system should also be useful to reduce the foul smell.

Adish Sood, Amloh

Compliance of NGT guidelines a must

The administration should set up a new landfill site which is further away from residential area. It must be completely scientific in nature and adhere to NGT guidelines. Apparently, the people living in the nearby sectors will get rid of the pungent smell. Along with it, the administration can set up new waste-disposal plants, which can convert garbage into fertiliser. The solid waste discharge will be sent to the cement factory. In this way, the dumping ground will be converted into a beautiful park.

Anita K Tandon, Mundi Kharar

Set up solid waste mgmt plant at Jhuriwala

The issue of the dumping ground in Panchkula is a mess. The area for the solid waste management plant to be made at Jhuriwala village to process garbage from the Sector 23 dumping ground is being turned into a dumping ground itself by the Panchkula Municipal Corporation. This has affected residents, forest area, seasonal nullah passing through and the wildlife sanctuary nearby. While residents welcome a garbage management plant, they oppose use of the area as a dumping ground because it is too close to the residential area. Residents of trans-Ghaggar were promised that the solid waste management plant would be set up at Jhuriwala village and all waste from the Sector 23 dumping ground would be shifted and processed there but 20,000 residents had been fooled by the administration and the state government. Many people are planning to sell their properties while a few have already left as they were concerned about their health. Foul smell and poor groundwater was the primary reason for their leaving.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

Shift dump site to non-residential area

The Jhuriwala residents are protesting for shifting of garbage dump, whereas the Panchkula administraton is taking no steps to shift the dump. There are many wild areas in Panchkula district and the dump can be shifted to non-residential place. The residents pay plenty of taxes to live a better life. The foul stink of garbage is dangerous for healthy living, especially for kids, asthma patients and senior citizens. It is the duty of the Panchkula administration to solve the grave situation and assure the residents to shift the garbage dump immediately in a scheduled time.

MR Bhateja, Nayagaon

Process garbage on a priority basis

It is laxity on part of the government to dump garbage at highway causing inconvenience to the masses. The question is who gave the nod to dump waste at highway. Now, the need of the hour is to immediately process the waste. Afterwards, a suitable dumping site should be allotted not to bother masses.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

Install garbage processing plant

Install a plant to process the daily generated garbage at the newly selected site on a daily basis before shifting. At Jhuriwla install a plant to process the legacy waste lying there. It should be mined in a time-bound programme to improve living conditions. Specialists should be roped in to manage the foul smell emitted by the dump. The citizens residing there have a right to live in better conditions. Honest and prompt actions are needed.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma

Find new site

The Jhuriwala dumping site has been selected erroneously by the administration and Municipal Corporation. The NGT has also fined the government on selection of wrong site for dumping waste. The MC must select site away from residential areas to avoid stinking and foul smell. Political pressure on bureaucracy and the non- involvement of specialists in the field cause such embarrassment and loss to the government. The people of the area had protested against the dumping site but the MC had not taken any cognigence of it. Now, after the NGT order the MC has immediately swung in to action to find other place for dumping waste. The MC must select suitable site this time to avoid another wrath and fine of NGT. Human and environmental factor must be taken in to account for selecting such places.

Wg Cdr Jasbir Singh Minhas (retd) Mohali

Jhuriwala not fit for waste facility

The residents of Jhuriwala have been rightly protesting against illegal and unscientific dumping of municipal waste. The dumping site falls under eco-sensitive zone and poses severe threat to the ecology and environment in the area. The Panchkula administration needs to take steps to immediately stop the dumping of municipal solid waste, restore the site and identify other suitable site for dumping in accordance with the provisions of municipal solid waste management rules.

RPS CHOPRA, CHANDIGARH

Set up landfill outside residential areas

After population, the next problem the society faces is finding a dumping ground for garbage in the city. Use of banned plastic and other disposable material has increased manifold in the district. This has led to an increase in pollution, besides piling up of waste. Dumping site should be away from the residential areas.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

Health hazard for residents

It is very disappointing to hear that even Panchkula has been entrapped by garbage dumps just like Chandigarh. As an immediate step, the authorities must shift the dumping ground to the outskirts of the city where there are minimal residential areas. Otherwise, it can be a bane for the people in the vicinity. It can also prove to be a big health hazard for the residents living in this area. Alternate locations for dumping garbage should also be chosen where there is no problem caused to the residents.

Saikrit Gulati, Chandigarh

Shift dump to south of TBRL grounds

Present dumping site at Jhuriwala is 1 km from Panchkula sectors on the east and wind flow causes foul smell. Wind direction is 90 per cent times east/west or vice versa. Stunching smells travel along the winds to Panchkula sectors. Shifting the dumping site should be done to south of TBRL grounds at Ramgarh which will be about 5 km from outer sectors.

Ashok Kumar Goel, Panchkula

Make compost pit at home

The foul smell emanating from the dumping ground is a matter of concern for common man’s health. The municipal corporation should request and encourage maximum number of residents to have compost pits in their homes depending on the vacant space or they can have it in pots also and ensure the compliance of the same. Also it’s the duty of the administration to earmark places in every sector and open these only in case the garbage picking staff do not show up. Last but not the least, the corporation should provide basic necessary items like sanitisers, soaps, gloves etc. to every garbage man and educate people to segregate their garbage as wet, dry, medical and chemical accordingly.

Savita Kuthiala