Patiala MC lags behind on remediation project, only 60% work complete

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Patiala, April 7

The Patiala Municipal Corporation is lagging far behind on its legacy waste remediation project initiated at a dump site near Sanaur road here. The project worth Rs 6.85 crore has also been affected as contrary to guidelines, fresh untreated garbage waste is also regularly dumped at the site.

The bio-remediation project for clearance of garbage dumping site, near the Sanaur road, outside the city was allocated to a private company in 2020. But a month before the project timeline gets over the MC has managed to complete only 60 per cent of the remediation work.

As part of the project, the contractors of the project were supposed to segregate 1.75 metric tonnes of garbage waste dumped at the dumping yard spread over 8 acres of land. The corporation also intended to utilise its material recovery facilities (MRF) centres for collection and segregation of garbage waste (about 135 metric tonnes daily) that was being freshly produced by the city. Apart from clearing the site from tonnes of garbage waste emanating foul smell, the project was also supposed to provide much needed relief to residents of Tejbagh Colony, Jagdish Colony, Gopal Colony, Mathura Colony, Bishan Nagar and other areas adjacent to the dump site.

Meanwhile, most MRF centres supposed to be used for collection and segregation of freshly produced garbage waste in the city are lying defunct. As a result, the city’s garbage waste is yet again being dumped at the Sanauri Adda dumping site.

Segregation of garbage at source

The Municipal Corporation has also failed to ensure segregation of garbage waste at the source of production. In fact, while not even 5 per cent of the city segregates its garbage produce, the garbage collectors of the Municipal Corporation also lack separate containers for it. This is while the MC was supposed to achieve 100 per cent segregation of garbage waste by the end of March 2022.

Officials of the municipal engineering branch said the project was only 60 per cent complete. They said, “The refuse derived fuel (RDF) is lifted by a Delhi-based company for processing.” MC officials say they are running Clean Patiala Green Patiala initiative in the city during which school students and residents will be motivated to follow solid waste management rules through competitions and other programmes.