SDMC gets Rs 43 crore from Centre for dust-control and waste processing measures

A proposal to use the money for the purpose was approved by the corporation’s Standing Committee on Tuesday and will be presented in the House for a final approval.

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has received Rs 42.77 crore from the Centre under the Urban Development Fund (UDF) for the current financial year to combat air pollution by introducing dust-control measures and to augment its waste-processing facilities.

Civic officials said the corporation had approached the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs earlier this year for a grant under UDF for the work. (Photo by Parwaz Khan / Hindustantimes)

A proposal to use the money for the purpose was approved by the corporation’s Standing Committee on Tuesday and will be presented in the House for a final approval.

Civic officials said the corporation had approached the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs earlier this year for a grant under UDF for the work.

Dust is a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi. The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Control and Prevention) Authority (EPCA) had been asking the civic bodies to take measures to check road dust.

Standing Committee chairman Rajdutt Gahlot said the funds will be utilised to strengthen and resurface damaged roads, develop decentralised compost plants and promote the use of recycled water by installing decentralised sewage treatment plants (STPs), among others.

“Internal roads will be strengthened using this fund at 12 locations, including Malviya Nagar, Panchsheel Park, Hauz Khas, Green Park Main and Extension, C R Park, Dwarka (pocket-1) and Mahavir Enclave, among others, at an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore,” Gahlot said.

Gahlot said Rs 7 crore has been allocated to develop 15 waste treatment plants and lay pipelines at various locations. Besides, Rs 3.7 crore have been sanctioned for procuring five electric road sweeping machines and Rs 12 crore for installing drum composters to treat solid waste at the ward level.

The approved proposal said the projects must be completed within 12 months.

“The corporation has been taking various measures to combat air pollution such as making the city green and clean, including makeover of spaces under flyovers, creating vertical gardens, mechanical sweeping and sprinkling of water on roads.

“To augment these projects, the civic body had approached the union ministry for funds. A comprehensive proposal and a detailed report with an estimate of Rs 86.59 crore was sent to the ministry. After a scrutiny of projects, a grant for Rs 42.77 crore was approved. We will have to bear 20% from our own resources,” said Gahlot.