Compost pits to come up in Gurugram parks, says MCG

MCG commissioner PC Meena said that the exercise will also encourage residents to start segregation of waste and use compostable materials in the parks and society gardens. He added that MCG will also send notices to residential societies from February 10 onwards if they fail to adhere to the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, and have not turned into a ‘zero waste’ society

Published on: Feb 1, 2023, 00:15:38 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) on Tuesday directed its sanitation department to construct compost pits in residential parks across the city to spread awareness about proper waste segregation, officials said. Teams have been tasked to identify public parks used by the local residents where compost pits can come up to reduce burden on Bandhwari landfill, officials added.

Gurugram, India-January 24, 2023: A view of Bandhwari waste treatment plant as GMDA CEO Sudhir Rajpal and MCG commissioner PC Meena arrive at the Bandhwari waste treatment plant for inspection at Gurugram-Faridabad road near toll plaza, in Gurugram, India, on Tuesday, 24 January 2023.(Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)(Pic to go with Leena Dhankar's story)

Officials said that teams from the sanitation wing will submit a list of the public parks within a week and composts will be prepared thereafter.

MCG commissioner PC Meena said that the exercise will also encourage residents to start segregation of waste and use compostable materials in the parks and society gardens.

“Our teams will be present in the parks for two hours every day to spread awareness, so that more and more residential societies engage themselves. This will be a revenue-based model for residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) as there are many agencies who are keen on buying dry waste,” Meena said.

Meena added that MCG will also send notices to residential societies from February 10 onwards if they fail to adhere to the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, and have not turned into a ‘zero waste’ society.

“Waste segregation is vital for protecting the environment and housing societies that do not adhere to the SWM Rules and segregate waste will be pulled up. Also, their waste will not be collected,” Meena added.

MCG will also invite school students to visit the compost pits, so that they learn the process and those who will help their societies turn into ‘zero waste’, will be made brand ambassadors in March, said officials.

Gurugram dumps around 100 tonnes of garbage at the Bandhwari landfill on a daily basis. At present, the landfill has around 2.5 million tonnes of waste and is 37 metres in height, according to MCG officials.

Meena said 25% of waste collected from the city is from bulk waste generators (BWGs) and if they start processing their waste, there will be no burden on the Bandhwari landfill.

In December last year, the MCG had started conducting a survey to find out whether BWGs are adhering to the SWM Rules. The agency identified 615 BWGs of which only 355 were segregating their waste, officials added.

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