20 years on, garbage treatment facility in Una remains unused

Rajesh Sharma

Una, December 13

A solid waste management plant built by the Una Municipal Committee about 20 years ago is lying unutilised. Instead of using this facility, the MC continues to dump household waste on the banks of Swan river in Rampur village adjoining Una city.

Heaps of garbage are lying scattered in an area of about five hectares along the Swan river embankment. Needless to say that the area is now home to stray animals and a breeding ground for parasites that get carried away to far-flung areas through birds and animals.

Poses health risk

• Heaps of garbage are lying scattered in an area along the Swan river embankment and it is a home to stray animals and a breeding ground for parasites
• The area is full of stink and dangerous to the health of stray cattle and dogs, which feed on vegetative waste discards
• Heaps of garbage dumps continue to remain hazardous to the environment besides posing risk to health of humans & animals

Winds blow plastic waste and other light material into the river, polluting the water. The garbage that gets settled into the riverbed affects the river flora and fauna. The rainwater that falls on the garbage seeps toxic material into the ground water aquifer. The area is full of stink and dangerous to the health of stray cattle and dogs, which feed on vegetable waste.

The waste management plant constructed at Malahat village near Una city could never become functional due to protests by villagers. Waste segregation platforms and vermi-composting chambers covered with tin roofing still exist. As per information gathered, a sum of about Rs 50 lakh was spent on constructing the facility.

According to the Municipal Supervisor of the Una MC, domestic waste of 15 dumpers is generated every day, which is disposed of in the open space in Rampur village. Over the years, the dumping place kept shifting whenever the land owners demanded that they needed to bring their land under cultivation.

The post of the Executive Officer of the Una MC is lying vacant and Una SDM Vishva Mohan Chauhan, who holds the charge, was on leave. When contacted, Una MC vice-chairman Vinod Kumar said the MC had hired the services of a private agency to recycle the waste dumped in Rampur village. He said plastic and biodegradable waste would be segregated. An industry had agreed to buy waste plastic to reuse it for making crates. He said the biodegradable material would be converted into manure.