2 yrs on, Jalandhar solid waste project yet to take off

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 23

Even though it has been well over half the tenure of the present government, nothing concrete has come up regarding implementation of the solid waste management project over which MLAs Pargat Singh (Jalandhar Cantt) and Inderbir Bolaria (Amritsar South) had left the SAD to join the Congress.

Both MLAs are now somewhat disillusioned over the slow pace of work in this direction. Pargat Singh says, “It makes no sense to do plain talk about plans when nothing concrete has come on ground. In a city that generates 500 tonnes of waste per day, the Municipal Corporation (MC) authorities are still planning to start processing waste in a ward-wise manner. But things have to become operational for people to see and have faith in us. At my level, I am attending all meetings and participating in all discussions.”

In Jalandhar city, it has been nearly two years since the plan to set up a bio-mining project was finalised but it remains in files till date. It was in yesterday’s state-level meeting of the Local Bodies Department in Chandigarh that the Rs 73-crore project got a final clearance under the Smart City project. The project is to be started at the Wariana landfill site where nearly 7.3 lakh metric tonnes of waste is lying dumped for over two decades now. The DPR for the project had been finalised at Rs 934 for processing of every tonne of solid waste.

MC Commissioner Diprava Lakra says, “We intend to start the tendering process in 10-15 days. We may be able to start the project by March. Once started, the huge mounds of old waste can get cleared in three years. For small bio-composting units to be set up in the city, we have identified 20 sites and work orders have been issued for 11 units.”

The MC had about two months back started a pilot project of starting small compost pits for wards starting from the Nangal Shama area. Agitated at garbage from four wards accumulating at one site of his area, councillor JP Shamsher Khehra had lodged a protest, putting up locks on the gates of the dumping site.

The project lies withheld as a builder who is constructing flats near the site has moved the court. The councillor insists that such projects can work only if there is a separate pit for each ward. “There are eight dumping sites in my ward which should be cleared if such a plant is to be set up,” the councillor makes his point telling that the project in his ward was lying held up as of now due to the court case.

“The segregation of waste at the source has yet not started. This small bio-compositing pits will be used only for green waste but all segregation is being planned at site which will not be conducive. Secondly, 500 tonnes of waste is generated per day. Even if 20 sites are set up with 2 tonnes capacity, only 40 tonnes of waste will be treated,” said BJP councillor Sushil Sharma.

BIG STINK

500 tonnes waste Jalandhar generates per day

7.3 lakh metric tonnes of waste lying at Wariana

We intend to begin the tendering process in 10-15 days. After launch, the huge mounds of old waste can get cleared in three years. For small bio-composting units, we have identified 20 sites and work orders have been issued for 11 units. Diprava Lakra, MC Commissioner