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Solid waste management: With NGT deadline approaching, Ludhiana MC chief tightens the noose on officials
In August, the monitoring committee of National Green Tribunal (NGT) had imposed a bank guarantee of Rs 22 lakh on MC that will be encashed by PPCB if door-to-door collection of garbage and waste segregation at source was not implemented in Ludhiana by November 30
With the deadline approaching to implement door-to-door collection of garbage and waste segregation at source in the city, municipal commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal conducted a review meeting with officials of the MC’s health branch and Punjab Pollution Control Board at the MC Zone-D office on Tuesday.
In August, the monitoring committee of National Green Tribunal (NGT) had imposed a bank guarantee of Rs 22 lakh on MC.
The civic body was directed to implement door-to-door collection of waste, waste segregation at source, establish compost pits in 922 parks of the city, construct a boundary wall and dispose off legacy waste at main dump site among other works by November 30, failing which the bank guarantee will be encashed by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB).
Recently, the monitoring committee had issued a letter to MC directing officials to conduct joint meetings with PPCB for compliance of the NGT orders.
During the meeting, health officials were directed to complete the projects within the set deadline to avoid action.
Also, a committee of MC and PPCB officials was formed that will look into the working of A2Z company, which has been awarded the contract to lift and process waste in the city.
The officials said that a project to deal with legacy waste has already been approved by the city-level technical committee under the Smart City Project.
An official, requesting anonymity, said that Sabharwal had earlier directed MC officials to complete the projects within the set deadline, otherwise the amount of the bank guarantees will be deducted from their salaries.
“There is an improvement in door-to-door collection and source segregation of waste. However, the work is still not complete. Importance is also being given to other projects. Strict directions have been issued to the officials to complete the projects in time to avoid action,” Sabharwal said.
Mayor, MC chief inspect dumping sites
With residents and councillors raising hue and cry over accumulated waste at the secondary garbage collection points, mayor Balkar Sandhu and MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal conducted an inspection at dumping sites in the city on Tuesday evening.
Councillors of the areas that were being inspected also accompanied the officials.
Officials of A2Z company have been directed to clear the dumping sites by Wednesday, to avoid action.
Heaps of garbage can be seen at the dumping points post Diwali. Lifting of waste was not done properly the next day as MC staffers were celebrating Vishwakarma Day.
As per information, around 1,100 metric tonnes of garbage is generated in the city everyday, which increases to 1,300 metric tonnes on Diwali.
There are over 50 secondary points in the city where the garbage collectors dump waste collected from houses/properties. From these secondary dumping points, the garbage is shifted to the MC’s main dump site at Tajpur road.
Mayor Sandhu said that dumping points including those situated at Field Ganj, behind Vardhman mills on Chandigarh Road and Shingar Cinema Road among were inspected on Tuesday and the A2Z company has been directed to clear the sites by Wednesday.
