Villagers force closure of waste segregation unit in Gurugram

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, November 8

Residents of Ullawas village near Sector 61 today forcibly shut a recently opened waste segregation unit. Started a month ago at the village, the material recovery facility is being jointly managed by the Gurugram Municipal Corporation and its concessionaire Ecogreen Energy.

Alleging the facility is polluting the village, protesting villagers locked the facility and remained stationed there to stop anybody from reopening it.

“They created ruckus and did not let us operate the facility. They have made us stop operations at the centre. The facility is a step towards decentralisation of waste collection and treatment. Our employees are fearing for their safety, so we have shut the operations till security and support is assured by local authorities,” said an official spokesperson of Ecogreen Energy.

“We can give the MC an alternate site but will not let this facility operate here. Garbage from the entire city is brought here. It will pollute our soil, water and air,” said a villager.

The MC, however, says the attack was inspired by garbage mafia hit by segregation and audit of waste.

“They have no issue with illegal dump yards being run over one acre plots in villages but have a problem with a covered facility being run as per norms. There is no spilling, smell, leachate and no reason for the protest. The facility is shut as of now, but we will hold a meeting with villagers and work out a way,” said Naresh Kumar, Joint Commissioner, MC.

The Gurugram MCG and Ecogreen Energy launched two material recovery facilities at Sector 44 and Ullawas village near Sector 61 in October. A material recovery facility is a centre where glass, plastic, metal, paper, cardboard and rubber waste materials are segregated and handed over to MC-empanelled scrap dealers for recycling.