Faridabad: Despite opposition, work on waste processing unit resumes

Bijendra Ahlawat

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Faridabad, January 2

The Municipal Corporation today resumed the construction of the waste dumping-cum-processing station at Pratapgarh village after five months. However, the resumption of work faced opposition from residents of villages and nearby residential colonies.

The work was taken up with the help of the police to keep protesters at bay. Earlier, the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad had to suspend work that was taken up five months ago, in the wake of a similar protest.

“The construction of the waste collection and processing yard on about four acres has been started at Pratapgarh village after a gap of a few months. The civic body plans to set up at least four such stations in different areas to process civic waste generated in the city, in compliance with the norms regarding its disposal,” said an MC official.

He said the fresh garbage generated every day needs to be processed locally in order to tackle the problem of dumping untreated waste at one place.

“Similar waste processing stations or yards are proposed to be set up at Mujeri, Sahupura and Riwazpur villages. The department had planned these processing stations after the NGT imposed a ban on dumping waste at Bandhwari village located on the Faridabad-Gurugram highway,” says Padam Bhushan, Executive Engineer, Faridabad MC.

However, local residents have continue to oppose the move. “The upcoming station will result in acute pollution and filthy sanitary conditions in and around the village,” claimed Sudesh Dagar, a spokesperson of the Jan Sangharsh Samiti, a body set up to carry on the agitation against the dumping yard.

He said while the stir against the yard was on in a peaceful manner for the past several months, they would seek a legal course of action to stop the move soon. He said the processing station would lead to a health hazard for a population of around 50,000 individuals residing in Pratapgarh and nearby colonies.

A senior MC official said that the processing of waste at the spot would be done in a scientific manner and would not result in any health or ecological issues.

Health hazard for Pratapgarh dwellers

The upcoming station will result in acute pollution and filthy sanitary conditions in and around the village, leading to a health hazard for around 50,000 individuals residing in Pratapgarh and nearby colonies. — Sudesh Dagar, spokesperson, Jan sangharsh samiti