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70% legacy waste cleared, rest to be removed by September 2025: Mohali MC tells HC
The affidavit was submitted in proceedings during the hearing of a plea, pending since 2006, in which Mohali-based Resident Welfare Society PSIEC Housing had approached the HC, alleging non-treatment and ineffective processing of solid waste by the authorities, which had led to stench engulfing the Industrial Area Phase-8B and its surroundings
The Mohali municipal corporation (MC) has told Punjab and Haryana high court that it has bioremediated 70% of legacy waste at the Phase-8B landfill site and the remaining 30% is to be cleared by September 2025.
The MC Commissioner, T Benith, in an affidavit told Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) that bioremediation has been completed of 2.86 lakh tonnes of waste. There were two trommels working at the site and two more have been added. “..Machinery deployed for bioremediation is of the latest technology and skilled personnel are deployed for operating the plant. No fresh waste is being dumped at the site and the legacy waste will be remediated by September 2025,” the Mohali MC commissioner told HC. As per the corporation’s own estimates, a total of 4.13 lakh tonnes of waste is lying dumped at the site.
The affidavit was submitted in proceedings during the hearing of a plea, pending since 2006, in which Mohali-based Resident Welfare Society PSIEC Housing had approached the HC, alleging non-treatment and ineffective processing of solid waste by the authorities, which had led to stench engulfing the Industrial Area Phase-8B and its surroundings. The case was disposed of in 2012 after authorities promised to take requisite steps. As nothing changed on ground, the residents approached the HC again in 2019 for revival of the plea. Since then, the court has been monitoring various steps taken by the authorities.
Adversely affected Swachh rankings
The legacy waste has adversely affected rankings of the city in nationwide Swachh Survekshan rankings. While it managed to climb 31 spots to secure the 82nd position among 446 cities with a population over 1 lakh in the 2023 rankings, the legacy waste remains an eyesore. Mohali scored 77% in waste generation vs processing, which means the city is yet to achieve complete processing of garbage collected. In 2022 Mohali was ranked 113.
The civic body has also claimed that at present 100% door to door collection and 85% source segregation has been achieved in the city with 40,289 households and daily generation of around 100 metric tonnes (MT) of waste (40 MT wet and 60 MT mixed waste).
Efforts are being made to complete 15% source segregation by organising awareness camps/cleanliness drives, which is likely to be 100% within six months, the affidavit says.
Phase-8 site being monitored
The court was also informed that a boundary wall has been constructed at the site and a gate erected to avoid illegal dumping. As many as 6 CCTV cameras have also been installed for monitoring the same. An effluent treatment plant (ETP) plant has also bene installed at the site for treatment of leachate. Besides this, to avoid any fire mishaps, firefighting equipment has been provided at the spot, the commissioner said.
Detailing about long term plans, MC commissioner said tenders were invited in June for compressed biogas plant (CBG). However, no firms participated. Department of local bodies have informed that GAIL and HPCL have shown interest in setting up the CBG plant at Samgauli village in Derabassi. Regular meetings are taking place with the local bodies department to expedite setting up of the plant, he added.
It was also informed that landfill site in Phase-8B is 80% filled up. GMADA chief administrator has been requested to provide new land for sanitary landfill site. The civic body has created a cell for monitoring solid waste management. The secretary, department of housing and urban development, has already constituted a district level committee in August to find suitable site for solid waste management, which would not be in the proximity to the thickly inhabited localities and areas where there is likelihood of colonisation taking place, the affidavit said.
