Citizen participation strengthens Gurugram’s push for clean, sustainable future

The meeting focused on addressing Gurugram’s mounting landfill crisis and strengthening solid waste management practices.

Published on: Aug 21, 2025, 05:14:11 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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Residents, RWAs, and civic leaders collaborated with the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) to chart out long-term waste management solutions, said officials.

The Municipal Corporation Gurugram (MCG). (Archives)

In a meeting with MCG commissioner Pradeep Dahiya at MCG headquarters on Wednesday, representatives of Making Model Gurugram (MMG) presented a community-driven roadmap for sustainable waste management, built on years of citizen initiatives and feedback from over 175 resident welfare associations (RWAs) across the city.

The meeting focused on addressing Gurugram’s mounting landfill crisis and strengthening solid waste management practices. MCG Commissioner Dahiya said the civic body is fully committed to the state government’s vision of a clean and modern Gurugram.

“This is the time to work collectively. Citizens’ participation and innovative models will be crucial to building a sustainable waste management ecosystem and transforming Gurugram into a healthy, livable city,”said Dahiya.

MMG founder Gauri Sarin stressed the importance of segregation of waste at source and maximising in-situ composting by bulk waste generators. “Our strategy prioritises local solutions—segregation at homes, composting within housing societies, and decentralised Compressed BioGas (CBG) and recycling facilities at zonal levels. This is a decisive moment. Citizens and authorities must come together to build a shared vision that ensures a clean and healthy future for coming generations,” said Sarin.

Policy alignment and enforcement, including solid waste bylaws, transfer stations, vendor empanelment, use of technology, and frameworks for both incentives and penalties was also discussed. MMG highlighted the need for a transparent, step-by-step approach where RWAs and resident groups play an active role in awareness, segregation, and compliance.

Rinky Singh, RWA president of Imperia Esfera, Sector 37C, and Sandeep Sharma from BPTP Park Serene raised concerns about poor garbage disposal in high-rise complexes, malfunctioning sewage treatment plants (STPs), and incomplete sewer connectivity leading to frequent waterlogging along main roads.

Commissioner Dahiya assured residents that the MCG is working on phased solutions, including tenders for door-to-door waste collection, improved road cleaning, and better horticulture waste management. He emphasised that with citizen cooperation, Gurugram can set a benchmark for sustainable urban living.

The meeting concluded with a joint commitment to collaborate on long-term strategies, moving beyond short-term fixes to lasting solutions for Gurugram’s sanitation and waste crisis.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More

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