Questions raised on recycling plant in Thane as debris ends up on roads

Heaps of debris lying on roads is a common sight in Thane.

Heaps of debris lying on roads is a common sight in Thane.

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On Friday, the corporators alleged that this was the main reason for city roads to be flooded as it choked the nullahs.

The corporation started a recycling plant for construction and demolition waste in Daighar in December last year.

In the past two years, Thane Municipal Corporation has spent more than ₹8 crore on collection and processing of construction and demolition waste. But, the roads are strewn with construction debris.

The mayor has demanded a complete report on this plant till August 20.

The plant was given to a private agency, which was responsible for collection and procession of construction debris.

The debris will be recycled to make bricks, tiles, paver blocks, hollow blocks and concretre blocks.

The corporators in the last general body meeting had alleged that the city was strewn with construction debris which chocked the natural flow of water, leading to flooding across the city.

Ashok Burpulle, deputy municipal commissioner, said, “Daighar plant is operational and we have picked up 1,07,000 metric tonnes of debris and transported it to the processing plant.”

The corporators said no one knows who picks up the debris and whom to call if anyone wants debris to be picked.

BJP corporator Manohar Dumbare said, “As there was no proper advertisement of the plant, no one is aware of it. When we call pollution control department, they will ask us to call solid waste management department. The dumper charges us for picking up waste.”

Manisha Pradhan, pollution control officer, said the plant was with the pollution control department till September 2018. However, it was later handed over to the solid waste department.

The civic administration said the agency is given ₹1,050 for transfer of per metric tonne of waste.

The pollution control department had paid ₹7 crore to the agency till September 2018, while the solid waste department has given ₹1 crore so far.

So, ₹8 crore has been paid to the agency.

Daighar corporator Babaji Patil alleged that there is no processing going on at the plant.

Patil said, “There is around 40-foot high heap of debris at the processing site. The processing machine which the corporation claims is of ₹20 crore is merely a basic machine. Not a single brick is made in the processing machine. The corporation is blindly paying the agency.”

Shiv Sena corporator Ram Repale also alleged that all the debris from Thane city is used in Diva for landfilling along the creek.

Following the allegations, mayor Meenakshi Shinde said, “The administration should submit a complete report on the debris processing and disposal plant and also on why the debris is not picked up regularly. The report should be submitted on August 20, when the monthly general body meeting is scheduled.”

In Thane, out of 1,000 metric tonnes of waste that is generated on a daily basis, 200 metric tonnes is from construction and demolition debris alone.

The natural resources of construction materials are reducing day by day, thus recycling this waste is the need of the hour.

Construction and waste management system saves valuable space at landfill sites.

It reduces cost of bulk transportation if recycled near source of generation.

It enhances the compost quality and calorific value of municipal solid waste.