Chandigarh MC to launch segregated waste collection on December 22

To begin from Sectors 1-30, the project will cover all parts of the city by January 7

As the Chandigarh municipal corporation gets ready to launch door-to-door collection of segregated waste in the city from December 22, garbage collectors on Friday demanded that they be allowed to lift waste and 50% of the fine collected from defaulters be paid to them.

The garbage collectors made the demands in a meeting with MC joint commissioner Anil Garg, sanitation committee chairman Rajesh Kalia and medical officer of health Dr Amrit Warring.

Dr Warring said: “We have heard them and will take up their demands with senior officers. We are already registering them with us as drivers and helpers in the twin-bin hopper vehicles.”

Om Prakash Saini, president, Chandigarh Door-to-Door Garbage Collectors’ Society, said: “The officials have agreed to some of our demands and we are satisfied with it.”

Until now, independent garbage collectors were lifting mixed waste from houses and commercial spaces. However, come December 22, the UT administrator will inaugurate door-to-door segregated garbage collection in Sectors 1-30, wherein residents will have to put dry and wet waste separately in twin-bin vehicles.

From January 1, other sectors and colonies will also be covered, while the final phase will be launched in Manimajra on January 7. Residents will have to pay user charges to the MC and will also be penalised for giving mixed waste. The new system will take off ahead of the upcoming Swachh Survekshan.

In the first phase, around 115 vehicles will be used. These have already reached the city and their technical evaluation has been done. A total of 392 vehicles have to be purchased by December end.