To make the City Beautiful more cleaner and greener, the environment standing committee of the UT administration conducted a meeting to address city’s environmental issues at Paryavaran Bhawan, Sector 19, on Saturday.
The committee meeting, chaired by chairman Satnam Singh Sandhu, recommended strict enforcement of single-use plastic ban, increase of green cover in southern sectors, effective management of parks and public space to prevent the water stagnation.
The meeting was attended by Hardeep Singh Buterla, Yudhvir Singh Kaura, Bharti and Arulrajan P, among other members of the committee, along with the officials of several departments of the UT administration.
Strategies to turn Chandigarh into an eco-friendly city and better adherence to environmentally friendly practices by government bodies, policymakers and the general public were discussed.
Giving details of the meeting, the chairman said,“Extensive discussions were held on both short-term and long-term strategies to safeguard the environment, as well as preserve the city’s diverse flora and fauna”
“The primary challenges include the rampant use of single-use plastic in Mandis of the city which should be stopped. The committee observed that despite the ban on single-use plastics, they are being used in vegetable markets rampantly, which is a cause of concern. It was proposed that the Chandigarh’s market committee should start registering the vendors in mandis and ask the vendors to submit an undertaking that they will comply with rules and regulations, and if they are found violating the ban, their registration will be cancelled,” Sandhu added.
{{/usCountry}}“The primary challenges include the rampant use of single-use plastic in Mandis of the city which should be stopped. The committee observed that despite the ban on single-use plastics, they are being used in vegetable markets rampantly, which is a cause of concern. It was proposed that the Chandigarh’s market committee should start registering the vendors in mandis and ask the vendors to submit an undertaking that they will comply with rules and regulations, and if they are found violating the ban, their registration will be cancelled,” Sandhu added.
{{/usCountry}}The other concern raised during the meeting was about sanitation and cleanliness in some villages and colonies that are not under the municipal corporation (MC).
The committee said there is a visible difference between the green cover in Northern and Southern sectors of the city which can be matched through concerted efforts to improve the Southern part. They also identified three to four wastelands with potential of becoming green spaces.
There should be effective management of parks and public space to prevent the water stagnation and avoid the spread of water borne diseases during the current monsoon season, the committee noted.
Moreover, the action taken report of the last meeting of the committee was also discussed. It was apprised to the members that National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has been engaged for technical assistance for selection of best available technology for processing dry waste and wet waste. The e-waste generated in the city is collected, segregated, dismantled, recycled, treated and disposed of through authorized e-waste recyclers from other states.
Regarding the protection of Choes, the committee was apprised that they were examined by the department concerned.