Villagers prevent Noida authority from dumping solid waste in their locality

After 40 years, when Noida has grown and expanded, no villager wants a landfill site to be set up in their neighbourhood.

In the absence of an authorised landfill site, Noida throws household solid waste anywhere it finds a place. As a result, hazardous waste generated in industries, households and commercial establishments, finds its way out into the open.

In the absence of a proper waste diposal mechanism, authorities in Noida and Greater Noida have been dumping solid waste in open spaces. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

On Tuesday, sanitation staff could not clean waste in many areas and transport it to temporary landfill sites, because the villagers of Gadi Chaukhandi and Mangrauli in sector 138 protested against the dumping of solid waste in their vicinity. A group of villagers chased the authority staff out of the site and did not let them dump the waste.

The Noida authority failed to finalise a landfill site at the time of planning this city. And now after 40 years, when Noida has grown and expanded, no villager wants a landfill site to be set up in their neighbourhood.

“The authority staff throws waste in a vacant area next to our village. The stench is so nauseating that one cannot pass by. Also, foul smell travels to our village with winds. We will not let the authority dump city’s waste near our village,” said Harkesh Yadav, a villager from Gadi Chaukhandi.

The Noida authority has failed to identify a landfill site in last 40 years because every time it earmarks land near a village, villagers and those living in neighbouring group housing complexes object to it.

Earlier, the authority had planned to make a landfill site near Noida Extension road next to the sector 121 group housing complex. But due to protests from villagers and housing complex residents, the authority decided to use the landfill site of Greater Noida authority at Astoli.

Environmentalists, however, said making a landfill site 40 km away from Noida in Greater Noida was not a wise step.

“The landfill site should have been in Noida. Transporting waste 40 km away for treatment will result in pollution, as diesel- run trucks will be used and transportation will also spread foul smell en route, causing air pollution,” said Manish Pathak, an environment expert.

“We are using vacant spaces or roads on a temporary basis. Once the Astoli plant becomes operational, there will be no problem related to solid waste management,” said Arun Vir Singh, additional chief executive officer (ACEO) of the Noida authority.