Gurugram: Resolve solid waste crisis soon, Congress urges MC commissioner

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, June 14

A day after the Haryana Government declared Solid Waste Exigency in Gurugram, Congress leaders, led by former MP Raj Babbar, met MC Commissioner Dr Narhari Singh Banger on Friday, seeking immediate resolution of solid waste crisis.

Although Babbar had lost to BJP’s Rao Inderjit Singh in the recently concluded Lok Sabha poll from Gurgaon, he had managed to click a chord with many residents as he took up sanitation as a major poll issue.

Demands

• Increase frequency of waste collection, especially at night
• Implement segregation at source
• Promote recycling & composting
• Enforcement of anti-littering laws

Babbar discussed the allegedly inefficient garbage collection and disposal system in the city with the MC Commissioner. “I have observed that an alarming amount of garbage is being dumped on the roadside and in the open across the city. It poses a serious health hazard to the residents and also tarnishes the image of our millennium city,” read a memorandum submitted by Babbar.

It mentioned that the monsoon was fast approaching and rains could turn out to be a nightmare for residents, owing to the deterioration of roads and civic infrastructure.

According to a recent survey conducted by a local NGO, Gurugram generates approximately 1,000 tonnes of waste per day. Of this, only 60 per cent is collected and disposed of. “The remaining waste ends up on our streets and open spaces. Besides being an eyesore, this poses a health risk for residents and visitors,” the memorandum read.

Foul odour emanating from the accumulated trash cause inconvenience to residents and passers-by. These areas serve as a breeding ground for pests and insects, and lead to the overall degradation of the environment. He also submitted a letter suggesting steps to deal with the crises.

Additionally, as the state government ordered the implementation of SWEEP in the district, a meeting was held between DC Nishant Yadav and Banger. The authorities have decided to take up the problem on a zonal basis. Special supervising officers will monitor the sanitation work in each zone and the most vulnerable areas will get extra work force.