MCG teams to check illegal debris dumping across Gurugram

Residents had previously alleged widespread illegal dumping of C&D waste in Gurugram, prompting the MCG to take action, said officials

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has formed teams to identify the areas across the district where construction and demolition (C&D) waste is being illegally dumped and get it cleared within a month, said officials.

Illegally dumped construction and demolition(C&D) waste at an empty plot in Sector 52A near Sai Ka Angan temple in Gururgam as of Friday. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

On Friday, MCG announced the immediate enforcement of the C&D Waste Management Rules, 2016, emphasising the principles of “reduce, reuse and recycle” to manage this waste effectively. This development comes a day after the Hindustan Times reported on the issue.

Residents previously alleged widespread illegal dumping of C&D waste in Gurugram, prompting the MCG to take action to curb this environmental hazard, said officials. The corporation has instructed teams to submit reports within seven days and directed three newly hired agencies to clear the waste within a month.

MCG commissioner Narhari Singh Bangar disclosed that the teams were sent on Friday to the affected areas, including Sector 29, Gurugram-Faridabad Road, Sector 60, and both sides of Gurugram-Jaipur Expressway to ascertain the amount of illegally dumped waste. “We have hired three private agencies for the collection of C&D waste and will direct them to clean the stretches at the earliest,” he said.

Meanwhile, in response to residents’ complaints regarding the matter, Gurugram deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav assured actions to address the issue. “We will ensure the private agencies (enlisted to clear C&D waste) are actively removing the C&D waste from Aravallis and roadsides,” he said.

Private vendors often pick up debris from construction sites and dump it indiscriminately, including in the Aravallis, in collusion with municipal officials, claimed Vaishali Rana, a Gurugram-based environmentalist. These activities mostly occur at night, she added.

Hindustan Times visited at least 10 sites across the city on Friday where large dumps of debris were spotted, including Sushant Lok 1, Sector 29, Golf Course Extension Road, Sector 60, Sector 57, Gurugram-Faridabad Road, and Dwarka Expressway.

Parshant Beniwal, a resident of Sushant Lok 1, expressed frustration over the large amounts of C&D waste and garbage being dumped in front of their colony. “This is total negligence of the department and despite repeated attempts, nothing has been done,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rana emphasised the need for continued efforts by the MCG. “It is important to take the C&D waste to proper destinations and take action against illegal vendors. Teams will have to take stringent action and get violators arrested for polluting the environment,” she said.

Despite being a hub of construction activity, Gurugram has just one construction debris processing plant in Basai, with a processing capacity of 1,800 tonnes per day. However, it currently operates at only 300 tonnes per day, insufficient to meet the city’s daily generation of approximately 800 tonnes of C&D waste. “A proposal to increase the Basai plant’s capacity to 1,000 metric tonnes has been pending in Chandigarh for six months,” claimed Kusum Sharma, a social activist.