Panchkula waste collection system in a mess

Amit Bathla

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, November 11

The garbage collection system of the city is in a mess. Heaps of waste can be seen lying uncleared in various sectors, mainly due to irregular clearance.

As a result, local residents are forced to deal with unhygienic conditions amid rising number of dengue cases and other diseases.

The Municipal Corporation also needs to increase surveillance to put an end to the practice of dumping waste in unauthorised sites, say residents.

Longstanding issues between private garbage waste collectors and the civic body also hurts effective garbage management from time to time, they add.

Private waste collectors are not just irregular but often increase the monthly charges for door-to-door collection, residents complain, adding that despite several requests for improvement, the situation remains unchanged.

Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal said they were taking a stock of the situation to ensure implementation of effective garbage disposal in the city.

Goyal said it was necessary for the civic body to implement the door-to-door waste collection system to ensure that “secondary” garbage spots did not come up, which not only emanated foul smell but also acted as an eyesore.

Citing the example of a neighbouring district, he said they would soon float a tender for the implementation of the door-to-door waste collection system. “We can start it from one sector as a pilot project,” he said.

Asked about the issue of the civic body with private waste collectors, he said they were ready to give the contract to them if they emerged as one group.

Last year, the private waste collectors had staged a massive protest and given up waste collection for days after the MC decided to hand over the door-to-door waste collection project to a Gurugram-based company. Subsequently, the MC had to call off the implementation of the project.

After continuous complaints from residents, the issue of proper waste management will be discussed during a General House meeting of the Panchkula Municipal Corporation on November 12.

The Jhuriwala dumping ground, where all untreated garbage is being dumped, has also been at the heart of the garbage problem of the city in the absence of a proper waste management plant.

From the Punjab and Haryana High Court to the National Green Tribunal, residents living nearby have approached every authority against the “illegal act” to set up a dumping ground near a residential area and wildlife sanctuary.

“We wish to turn all garbage dumped at Jhuriwala into fertiliser on a regular basis by setting up a solid waste management plant,” the Mayor said.

SK Nayar, president, Citizens Welfare Association, said, “The garbage collection situation is grim in all sectors, with private waste collectors acting in an arbitrary manner. First, they are not regular with garbage collection. They didn’t turn up the day after Diwali and on November 7 too. Besides, they raise the monthly charges often. I request the MC to streamline the waste management system.”

On illegal dumping of garbage, SK Gupta, a local resident, said, “The MC should put up warning boards at all unauthorised garbage dumps, indicating that heavy fine will be imposed on the violators for throwing their household garbage illegally in the open.”