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Chandigarh: Dadumajra dump site nowhere near being cleared
Under the ₹33-crore legacy waste mining project launched in December 2019, entire 5 lakh metric tonnes waste lying at the spot for more than 20 years was to be bio-mined
Well past its original deadline, the legacy waste mining project at the Dadumajra dump site is progressing at a snail’s pace with more than 60% garbage yet to be removed.
Moreover, the municipal corporation (MC) officials have also conceded that the work is unlikely to be completed this year.
The ₹33-crore project was launched with much fanfare in December 2019 by UT administrator VP Singh Badnore in the presence of MP Kirron Kher.
Under this project, around 5 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of waste, which had been lying at the spot for more than 20 years (till 2005), was to be bio-mined and processed through scientific procedures, and the entire land of about 25 acres was to be reclaimed for future use for scientific waste treatment and disposal.
At the inauguration ceremony, officials had stated all the 5 lakh MT waste would be cleared within 18 months. On the ground, however, the work has even failed to meet the extended deadline, which the MC had allowed in the wake of the pandemic.
Even UT adviser Dharam Pal has maintained that removal of legacy waste and sanitation was one of his priorities. The daily generation of solid waste in the city is around 550-600 MT, but only 70-80 MT waste is processed every day.
New deadline uncertain
MC commissioner KK Yadav said, “Of the total 5 lakh MT legacy waste at the site, more than 2 lakh MT has been removed. We expect the work to be completed by March-end next year.”
A number of reasons have been put forward by the MC officials for the slow pace of work. but largely the pandemic has been blamed for the missed deadlines.
Now, the officials are blaming the monsoon: “The garbage becomes too moist to be removed during rains. So work has been slowed down for the last 10 days,” said an MC official, who didn’t wish to be named.
In winters too, the work will be suspended. “The work is likely to pick pace only next year after winter ends. We expect it to be finished by the third quarter next year,” added the official.
Officials are now contemplating imposing a fine on the firm undertaking the work. “A penalty would be imposed on the firm if the work is further delayed as per the contract,” said Yadav.
Project doesn’t cover removal of 4.5 lakh MT waste
The legacy waste mining project doesn’t cover another 4.5 lakh MT of waste that was dumped at Dadumajra site after 2005.
The MC is expecting to finance removal of additional 1 lakh MT through central funds under the Swachh Bharat Mission. No timeline has been set for its removal, and the proposal is only for removing 20% of the post-2005 legacy waste.
Dyal Krishan, president of the Dumping Ground Joint Action Committee, said, “For the last 25 days, no work has been going on at the site. As per our estimates, no more than 20% of work has been completed so far.”
Stating that categorising the waste into pre-2005 and post-2005 hasn’t solved the residents’ problems, Krishan said, “The garbage mound is only getting bigger every day. They work on one site but dump more on the adjacent site. In December 2019 we were told the site would be cleared, but it was an eye-wash.”
