Waste segregation still a distant dream in Ludhiana

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 6

Despite multiple campaigns run by the Municipal Corporation (MC) in the past seven years, waste segregation at source has not been ensured in most parts of the city till date.

Earlier also, the NGT had given directions to the civic body to ensure segregation of waste, otherwise action would be initiated against it.

The MC along with a private firm handling solid waste management had started a drive to distribute two types of bins for the collection of biodegradable waste and non-biodegradable waste in 2014 but the drive was stalled on the same day due to the poor quality of the bins.

On the occasion of World Environment Day in 2017, a similar drive was launched to promote waste segregation and people were appealed to keep dry and wet waste separate in different dustbins but the MC could not achieve success.

In March this year, the corporation had announced to issue challans to those residents who were found not segregating waste. But segregation of waste is still being ignored in most parts of the city.

At present, the non-segregated waste is generally collected from households and establishments and dumped at secondary collection points of the city. Even, a huge amount of used polythene bags, which have already been banned about five years ago, can be seen at the dumping sites inside the city. Broken glass pieces, bulbs, e-waste, chemicals and other waste are also being dumped with general waste. Besides, biomedical waste was found at different dumps in the past too.

A member of the Buddha Nullah Task Force, Col JS Gill (retd), said nothing had been done at the ground level to ensure segregation of waste in the city. The campaigns were merely a formality.

“Residents are supposed to segregate waste. The MC must create awareness among the residents for the segregation of waste,” he said.

“It seems councillors are least bothered about segregation of waste in their respective wards. They should come forward and motivate people to segregate waste, which was required for a better solid waste management system. Waste should not be lifted if it was not segregated at source level,” he said.

Colonel Gill said: “Required facilities should be set up to deal with wastes such as broken glass, CFL and other bulbs, tube lights, e-waste and other hazardous waste. Leaf and branch crushers should be set up in all colonies of the city. The MC must ensure proper processing of the waste.”

The civic body has even failed to resume operations of the waste processing plant at the main dumping site near Kakka village for the past five months.