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Ludhiana residents not segregating waste to shell out up to ₹5,000 from September 15
Besides, MC will also stop picking the garbage from the violators’ properties.
Taking the heat for poor solid waste management from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the municipal corporation (MC) has decided to start issuing fines to property owners not segregating waste at source from September 15.
Besides, MC will also stop picking the garbage from the violators’ properties.
According to MC officials, the solid waste management bylaws have been notified, which entail fine for not segregating waste into biodegradable and non-biodegradable. The fines range between Rs 250 for households and Rs 5,000 for bulk generators (see box).
MC joint commissioner Swati Tiwana said, “A system is being put in place for collection and dumping of segregated waste at the main dump from September 15 onwards. The secondary collection points have been divided in two parts, and the A2Z company has been directed to collect wet and dry waste separately. Letters have also been issued to senior government officials living in government accommodations in the Civil Lines area that non-segregated waste will not be collected by MC.”
“As the local bodies department has notified the Solid Waste Management and Sanitation Bylaws 2020, a drive will be initiated for challaning property owners not handing over waste in a segregated manner,” she added.
NGT’s monitoring committee in August had directed the civic body to submit Rs 15 lakh as bank guarantee to the Punjab Pollution and Control Board for its failure in dealing with the solid waste in the city.
INFRASTRUCTURE MISSING, SAY COUNCILLORS
MC’s decision has invited strong resentment from city councillors, who have highlighted the absence of infrastructure to deal with segregated wet and dry waste.
BJP councillor Manju Aggarwal said, “Firstly, MC does not have proper garbage carts for door-to-door collection of waste. Further, there is no system for shifting the segregated waste from the secondary collection spots to the main dumping site on Tajpur Road.”
Leader of opposition in MC’s General House, SAD councillor Harbhajan Singh Dang said, “We have received no information about the fines from September 15. Besides, MC is not equipped with the infrastructure required to support this system. An awareness campaign is also needed before the corporation starts issuing fines to residents.”
Notably, there are around 3.5 lakh properties in Ludhiana’s 95 wards. With MC yet to start door-to door collection of waste from at least 20% properties, complete waste segregation has remained a distant dream.
