Swachh Survekshan: At 139, Panchkula plunges 53 spots
Naina Mishra
Chandigarh, January 11
In a significant setback, Panchkula witnessed a steep decline in its Swachh Survekshan-2023 ranking, sliding from the 86th position to a disappointing 139th. The city’s performance hit a new low by scoring a zero in the crucial category of “remediation of dumpsites”, primarily attributed to its failure in clearing legacy waste from the Sector 23 and the Jhuriwala dumping grounds.
With an overall score of 5,224.33 out of 9,500, Panchkula grappled with challenges in waste management, especially evident in the inadequate handling of legacy waste. The Municipal Corporation, Panchkula, has initiated a bio-remediation project at the Jhuriwala dumping ground, with a tender worth Rs 5.94 crore. The project is anticipated to conclude by February. Notably, the corporation is already operating a bio-remediation plant at the Sector 23 dumping ground.
The Jhuriwala dumping ground, plagued by over 90,000 tonnes of legacy waste, has been a focal point of concern. Waste from households and commercial units has accumulated at Jhuriwala since the corporation ceased dumping solid waste at the Sector 23 site in June 2021.
Another factor contributing to Panchkula’s poor performance in the rankings is its failure to achieve 100% waste segregation at source. Despite efforts to segregate and process legacy waste at the two dumping sites, the corporation is yet to ensure complete segregation of waste at source.
The recent implementation of garbage collection charges across the city aimed to encourage daily waste collection from households in a segregated manner. However, residents continue to provide mixed waste to collectors, impeding progress in waste management.
MC Commissioner Sachin Gupta expressed optimism despite the challenges. “Overall, we have improved our score from 4,273 in the previous ranking to 5,224 in the latest survey. Remediation efforts at dumps have commenced. We aim to clear the legacy waste at the Jhuriwala site by February end and at the Sector 23 dump by March.”
He added, “Plans for establishing a solid waste management plant are underway, with site inspections ongoing in Panchkula. Presently, we send our waste for disposal to Patvi in Ambala district.”
Gupta acknowledged the struggle with source segregation. He said, “We have not achieved complete segregation yet and are actively raising awareness among residents through distribution of stickers and pamphlets.”
