Open House: What needs to be done to resolve waste processing issue?

City residents should be motivated to adopt three rules, which mean reduce, reuse and recycle waste. The Administration should take this as an opportunity keeping in view that waste management involves collecting, sorting, treating, recycling and when properly facilitated providing a source of energy and resources. Therefore, the public and private entities have to leverage huge potential, which the waste management has. And lastly, a large area like dumping ground-cum-garbage processing plant should be allotted by the Administration to a firm.

Vineet Gandhi, Chandigarh

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MC has failed in every aspect

There is no denying the fact that the Municipal Corporation has failed to solve the waste management issue of the City Beautiful in every aspect. Unless the capacity of the treatment plant is upgraded waste will continue to pile up at the dumping ground. The situation is now out of control as untreated waste spreads unbearable stink in the surrounding areas and has become a health hazard for residents. Under such circumstances every resident must try to reduce waste and convert it into compost. It will save environment. Total dependence on government agencies has turned only worsened the situation.

SC Luthra, Chandigarh

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UT to become stinking city soon

It’s irresponsible on the part of the Municipal Corporation to not to upgrade machinery of the waste processing plant. Something concrete steps have to be taken at the earliest otherwise it will be not long enough for Chandigarh to turn into a stinking city. Erring officials should be taken to task. The process to upgrade plant machinery should be initiated as early as possible. If the civic body is unsuccessful in managing the waste processing plant, then its contract should be given to a suitable private company, which may solve the problem to some extent.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Sangrur

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Manage waste at source

Why waste waste should be our mission. Everyone should follow the principal of 3Rs, which means reduce, reuse and recycle waste. Waste must be segregated waste at source like house, institutions, hotels etc. Dry waste should be collected separately and compressed by hydraulic means at resource management centres in all sectors to make tiles, flower pots, benches and other items of daily use. Biodegradable waste should be reused to make garden manure, which is ready in 50 to 60 days.

Col TBS Bedi (retd), Mohali

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Allocate work to seven firms

The authorities concerned should never allot public works to a single person or a firm. The work should be allotted to seven small units so that there is competition, which means quality of work is maintained and performance is improved. For recycling 500 MT waste at least seven plants of 70 MT capacity are needed. The waste processing plants managed by different contractors can function at a spot so that the work doesn’t suffer.

Ashok Kumar Goel, Panchkula

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Need for proper segregation

Proper segregation reduces waste going to landfills and dumping grounds. Dry waste can provide raw material to several industries. Kitchen waste can be turned into compost and used in gardens or as manure for plants. Workers of the civic body can be trained to segregate waste.

Anita Tandon, Kharar

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Run plant to its optimum capacity

The MC needs to upgrade machinery of its processing plant so that it can process the same quantity of waste that the city generates every day. Till then, the exiting plant should be run to its optimum capacity. The MC should take the decision to choose technology for upgrading or setting up of a new plant at the earliest.

Simran Sidhu, Chandigarh

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Provide required infrastructure

The problem of waste piling up at dumping ground has been hanging fire for the past few years. The MC took over from Jaypee Group to sort out the issue, but the problem escalated further. The MC must adopt proactive approach to solve the issue. With present capacity of the plant all waste generated in the city can’t be processed. The MC must fix responsibility of its personnel to look after waste processing and provide required infrastructure.

Wg Cdr (DR) JS Minhas (retd), Mohali

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Generate funds to upgrade machinery

The Municipal Corporation either needs to upgrade its plant machinery or purchase new one to process garbage generated in the UT or give the processing plant on contract to some agency. The MC is showing lax attitude towards the garbage processing issue on the pretext of fiscal crunch. The civic body has to generate funds to keep the garbage processing plant running. Frequent fire at the dumping ground in last one year has inconvenienced residents living in the vicinity of the dump due to respiratory problems. Garbage has to be disposed of properly to keep the environment clean.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

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MC should hire a contractor soon

The UT MC has failed to deliver on waste management. The civic body has to immediately hire a contractor, who has the capacity to install a bigger machinery to process the entire garbage generated in the city. The contractor must process waste on daily basis so that garbage does not pile up at the dumping ground. During rainy season, the dump generates stench, which creates health issues, including respiratory, among residents of nearby colonies, especially senior citizens. The UT Administration and the MC must solve garbage processing issue.

MR Bhateja, Nayagaon

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Improve waste management

Indore has done a remarkable job by removing 13 lakh tonnes of garbage within six months. An amount of Rs300 crore was spent to do the job. Currently, Chandigarh has to improve solid waste management, source segregation and carry out systemic reforms. The MC must work rigorously on this front. It’s a sad to see the present state of affairs in the UT, which is always known for its cleanliness and as the City Beautiful.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

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Study tours a waste of money

The MC has totally failed in processing garbage generated in the UT. The processing plant is working at 10 per cent of its capacity. Taxpayers money is wasted on tours for studying waste management. Waste management must be handed over to an expert company, which has the capacity to process 500 MT garbage generated in the UT as the civic body is not fit for the job.

Vijay Malia, Chandigarh

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Promote small projects

The MC should promote small waste management projects in the UT. This will help in processing waste at the micro level and generate some revenue. This will be a win-win situation for residents and the MC.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

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Manage waste wisely

Beauty of the city doesn’t mean wide roads or high rise buildings. Without clean surroundings everything is impractical. Ban on polythene bags, most hazardous waste, is only symbolic. Citizens should manage waste and try to reduce it at the point of generation. Many waste items can be used at home. Fruits and vegetable skin and used tea leaves can be converted into natural manure at home for kitchen gardening. The MC should earmark more than one dumping ground on the outskirts of the city. The contract for processing garbage should be given to different contractors on strict terms and conditions. The dumping site may be chosen towards foothills and not near approach roads to the city so that entry points have a spotless look.

Surinder Paul Wadhwa, Mohali

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Prefer recycled material

The UT Administration should have upgraded waste processing plant. There should be strict prohibition on the use of plastic polythene bags as these are non biodegradable. Recycled materials should be preferred and used by all residents of the UT. Everyone should follow the principle of reduce, reuse and recycle waste. Compositing technique can be adopted by all households. This will reduce waste, generate employment and contain land and environment pollution to some extent.

Adish Sood, Amloh

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Civic body can seek help from Centre

Why has the Municipal Corporation not installed new machinery with higher processing capacity at the plant? This should have been done without any delay. If there is a financial crunch then the MC can stop all other projects and divert funds for upgrading waste processing plant. Also, the MC can seek one-time assistance from the Centre to start work on constructing/upgrading waste processing plant immediately.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

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Convert waste into compost

Though the Municipal Corporation has taken over waste processing plant from the Jaypee Group, yet it has to make all out efforts to clear garbage piles from the dumping ground. The corporation can create mini-dumping grounds by earmarking sites where biodegradable waste can be converted into compost. This will add to the revenue of the corporation, besides minimising garbage at the Dadu Majra dumping ground.

Savita Kuthiala, Chandigarh

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Replace obsolete machines

Poor solid waste management in Chandigarh has affected its Swachhata ranking in over the years. The MC has of late taken various steps towards waste collection and processing. The amount of waste produced in the city is not commensurate with the processing output. This has led to a gradual piling up of waste in dumps. This is a serious health hazard for the people living in the vicinity of the dumping grounds. The only way out is that the MC should replace the old and obsolete machinery without any further delay so that the output of waste processing is enhanced. Another way out could be to create additional waste processing sites.

Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

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Shun slackening attitude

The decision-making team of the MC should avoid slackening attitude towards this major problem faced by the residents. Though the garbage dump is located on the outskirts, the residents of the nearby sectors are forced to live in a filthy atmosphere. Experts’ advice, knowhow from the neighbouring states and true spirit can eradicate the problem.

Subhash Chander Sharma, Chandigarh

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Increase capacity of the plant

It is sad that our smart and beautiful city has proved to be a failure in the disposal of waste. The same should be diligently segregated into recyclable and non-recyclable waste at the time of collection from houses. The capacity of the existing plant be increased immediately. Incinerators be installed at the PGI, GMSH, Sector 16, and at the GMCH, Sector 32, so as to decrease the load on the plant. It is appreciable that the MC has strictly banned the use of one-time use plastic items.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

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QUESTION

How can Chandigarh enforce strict adherence to the Covid protocol during the coming festive season to prevent a third wave?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to [email protected]