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Toxic waste from Dadumajra waste plant spills into forest area
The plant has been working at 30% capacity, which means that 70% of the 500 tonnes of waste generated in the city every day is going unprocessed.
In what could be disastrous for the environment, toxic waste dumped at the Dadumajra waste recycling plant has started spilling over into forest areas, affecting flora, even as the unit struggles to process excess garbage generated in the city.
However, as of now, the forest department has merely sent a notice to the municipal corporation (MC) and the Jaypee-group run plant, set up in 2007, to deal with waste dumped for years in the area.
“It’s bad. Municipal mixed waste including batteries and chemicals are being dumped here, because of which toxic contaminants are being carried by water downward through permeable soils, turning land barren and destroying trees,” said a local environmentalist who did not want to be named.
For several years, the plant has been working at 30% capacity, which means that 70% of the 500 tonnes of waste generated in the city every day is going unprocessed.
“Forest department officials are aware of the fact that it (waste) is affecting their area and had served a notice (to MC and Jaypee) a few months back on behalf of the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) and the department,” said TC Nautiyal, conservator of forest and member secretary, CPCC.
Meanwhile, locals living near the plant, complained about their miserable living conditions. “ We are living in hell, suffering from diseases, overwhelmed by the stench,” said a shopkeeper.
“Except for people living nearby I have no buyers as outsiders think that the products I sell are bad for their health,” he added.
A few days ago mining machines to hasten the decomposition of ‘legacy’ waste (collecting in the area for more than 20 years) had been installed, said Farmila, local area councillor.
A few machines will also be set up soon for speedy processing of waste at the plant, she added
“We constantly make efforts to clean the area,” Farmila defended herself, saying, “it is not a process that can be completed overnight.”
“It took us 20 years to set up this machine, though we appreciate the efforts of the government to clear up the legacy waste,” said environmentalist Paveela Bali.
It was important that the existing plant start working so that no other legacy waste is formed in future, Bali said.
Plant operator NK Vohra did not respond to calls and WhatsApp texts.
Efforts to contact municipal corporation commissioner KK Yadav also failed.
