UT asks PEC to help get expert advice on waste management

UT Advisor K K Sharma said,“The system of collecting garbage needs to be reviewed. We are trying to look at alternates for which experts would be asked to give suggestions. Changes would be introduced if the alternatives suggested are better than the prevalent system. As far as the plant is concerned,it needs to function as per specified norms. This is being looked into by the MC.”

The decision to install the plant was taken after years of deliberation. The officers,who went on a foreign trip to study the concept of a Solid Waste Management Plant included the then Municipal Commissioner P S Aujla,former Medical Officer of Health G C Bansal and then Joint Commissioner H S Kandhola. Councillors Subhash Chawla,Lalit Joshi and Surinder Singh accompanied them. While Aujla and Khandola are repatriated to their parent cadres Punjab,Bansal has retired. The three councillors have since lost elections. On their return,the approval was given to set up the Garbage Processing Plant at Dadumajra.

Recently a meeting of officials and some councillors was held to find ways to tackle the problem at the Garbage Plant. It was decided that the Effective Micro-organisms solution should be sprayed on the inerts in the Plant rather than at the dumping ground. This is likely to tackle the problem of stench. A Pune-based firm will give a presentation on the chemicals that can be sprayed to get rid of the stench.

Section 144 imposed

The UT has imposed Section 144 within a 1,000-meter radius of the dumping ground/ processing plant,Sector 25 and dividing road towards Dhanas village,Maloya,PGI and Sec 25/38 for one week from Wednesday. This follows protesters’ decision to start a chain hunger strike from Wednesday. The residents have been sitting on dharna for two days.