SWM penalty shocker for dwellers of 4 Chandigarh societies

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, June 27

The Municipal Corporation has imposed a hefty penalty on the residents of four housing societies in the southern sectors for non-compliance with the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016. The penalty amount has been included in their respective water bills for this month.

This is the second time the residents have been sent bills with such “sundry charges”, though the amount was not that big earlier.

Residents of Telehos Cooperative Society, Sector 50, have received water bills with Rs 3,138 in “sundry charges” on account of the penalty and those of Progressive Society, Sector 50, Rs 1,775.

The dwellers of Pushpak Society, Sector 49, have been slapped a penalty of Rs 1,600 each and those residing in Kendriya Vihar Society, Sector 48, Rs 3,487 each.

“The MC has imposed an illegal penalty without any notice in the water bill cycles of April and June of each member. Though all residents opposed the move, some paid their bills,” said Ashwani Kumar, vice-president, Telehos Cooperative Society.

“No member wants the plant to be set up in Sector 49. It will be a nuisance for the local residents. The rules say processing should be within the premises ‘as far as possible’. But, we have no space. Moreover, the RWAs have no expertise or funds to run such plants,” said AS Hundal, from the same society.

According to the rules, all gated societies and institutions with more than 5,000 sq mt of area will, in partnership with the local body, ensure the segregation of waste (wet, dry, domestic hazardous and sanitary) at source, facilitate the collection of segregated waste in separate sections, and hand over recyclable material to either the authorised waste collectors or recyclers. The rules call for the biodegradable waste (wet waste) to be processed, treated and disposed of through composting or bio-methanation within the premises as far as possible.

After the residents contended that they did not have space to process or manage the garbage inside their societies, the MC House had approved the setting up of a common plant at the Sehaj Safai Kendra in Sector 49. However, a delegation of the residents have raised their objection to the move.

“The place where they are setting up the plant is located in front of our society. It will raise foul smell and could be a health hazard. The Centre has sanctioned about Rs 400 crore for the setting up of a waste processing plant in Dadu Majra. The garbage generated by the four societies should be processed there only,” said secretary of Pushpak Society Satish Kumar Arora.

Brijbhusan Mahajan, cashier, Progressive Society, said, “The penalty imposed on us on account of not being able to manage our waste inside the premises is unjustified, as we have been making effort in this regard. We earlier dug up pits for composting. But, some residents protested the move. There was no provision for the processing of waste on the premises when the societies were set up. There should also be no plant in Sector 49, which is next to a temple and petrol station.”

The representatives of the societies earlier met the Mayor and the Commissioner, who, they said, promised to adjust the penalty in their next water bills. Local councillor Rajinder Sharma, who resides in the BSNL society, said, “I have taken up the matter with Mayor Anup Gupta, who promised to put forth the penalty waiver issue in the House. Secondly, garbage has been shifted to the SSK in Sector 49 for 15 years. Now, the waste will be processed daily and there will be no garbage pile. Some persons are just misleading residents.”

Hefty levy

• Telehos Cooperative Society, Sector 50: Rs 3,138
• Progressive Society, Sector 50: Rs 1,775
• Pushpak Society, Sector 49: Rs 1,600
• Kendriya Vihar Society, Sector 48: Rs 3,487

(Amount included in water bill of each resident)

What rules say

• All gated societies and institutions with more than 5,000 sq mt of area will, in partnership with the local body, ensure the segregation of waste (wet, dry, domestic hazardous and sanitary) at source.
• Facilitate the collection of segregated waste in separate sections, and hand over recyclable material to either authorised waste collectors or recyclers.
• Biodegradable waste (wet waste) to be processed, treated and disposed of through composting or bio-methanation within the premises as far as possible.

‘Have no space for processing garbage’

No member wants the plant to be set up at the Sehaj Safai Kendra in Sector 49. The rules say processing should be within the premises ‘as far as possible’. But, we have no space. Moreover, the RWAs have no expertise or funds to run such plants. — AS Hundal, society resident