Faridabad residents see red over inefficient waste disposal

Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, October 2

The alleged failure of the authorities concerned in ensuring scientific and proper management of garbage is likely to pose a hurdle in effectively implementing the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) that has been imposed to curb the pollution. Besides the dumping of garbage in the open, lack of any action plan to contain the dust pollution has also added to the problem, say residents.

Instead of setting up proper waste dumping and processing stations for segregation and recycling of the solid waste at various spots, garbage is being dumped in various places, including roadsides, green belts and along the bypass road that is being converted into an expressway, say sources in the district administration.

Though the NGT imposed a ban on dumping of waste at the Bandhwari dumping station, the traditional spot at the Faridabad-Gurugram highway, due to space crunch about two years ago, the practice continues amid the unavailability of alternatives, it is claimed. Over 800 tonnes of waste is churned out daily in the city.

“As the waste is transferred to Bandhwari from the transfer stations (khatas) set up at some of the points several years ago, the authorities which had been asked to set up segregating and processing stations have failed to find a solution till date, resulting in the persistence of the problem,” said an employee of the Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF), seeking anonymity. All efforts to set up local segregation stations have been met with opposition, he added.

It has led to aggravation of the problem, claimed Varun Sheokand, a resident of the area. “Besides poor sanitary conditions, dumping of garbage in the open has turned into a menace for the commuters. Hundreds of stray cattle roam in and around the garbage looking for eatables, speaking volumes of the cleanliness drives launched on paper each year,” said AK Gaur, another resident.

The dust emerging from the roads degraded the air quality, said SK Sharma, coordinator of the Road Safety Organisation, an NGO. Poor quality of repairs leads to accidents and traffic congestion, he added.

A pollution control official, who didn’t wish to be named, said comprehensive measures were required to be taken up to tackle the problem of garbage disposal and dust.

“Several measures have been in place to ensure cleanliness which include waste disposal and containing the dust pollution through water sprinkling and smog guns during implementation of GRAP,” said Birender Kardam, Chief Engineer, MCF. The AQI has been between moderate and poor in the city.