Chandigarh, Aug 20 (Inditop.com) A multi-million rupee solid waste management plant has literally raised a stink in Chandigarh, one of the greenest cities in the country, prompting numerous complaints from residents.
A foul smell emanates from residential areas within an eight-kilometre radius of the municipal corporation plant located in Dadu Majra in Sector 25 (west). Improper implementation of guidelines is being blamed for it.
“The smell is really unbearable. We have got many complaints about the working of the plant and decided to take up the issue with officials looking after the plant. Very soon things will be in order,” Chander Mukhi Sharma, chairman of the sanitation committee of Chandigarh, told Inditop.
“During our inspection, we found that things were not in order at the plant. They are not following the guidelines, as there is a complete ban on the burning of garbage in Chandigarh, but workers were burning it.”
Ironically, the plant was aimed at making the city free of stench and pollution and providing eco-friendly fuel.
Kamlesh, the mayor of Chandigarh, told Inditop, “The main reason behind the foul smell is that the waste management plant is not fully operational till now. Moreover, they are not following the right procedure of solid waste processing.”
“The countless complaints that I was getting every day compelled me to go there personally to check the plant. There were many irregularities but now we will try to end the problem at the earliest,” she said.
The solid waste management plant was inaugurated by Chandigarh administrator S.F. Rodrigues in May last year.
It was set up under a public-private initiative between Jaiprakash Associates Ltd and the Chandigarh municipal corporation.
Spread over 10 acres of land, the plant
cost Rs.300 million (Rs.30 crore) and has the capacity to process 500 tonnes of solid waste every day.
Residents of Chandigarh are being forced to live in the stinking environment and have filed hundreds of complaints against the plant in the last few weeks.
“It is sad but gradually we have made it a habit to live in this smelly environment. Actually, we do not have an option, but the situation has become intolerable for the last one month. We have filed numerous complaints in the municipal corporation office but to no avail,” Sadhu Ram, a resident of Sector 25, told Inditop.
Sanjeev Sharma, a resident of Sector 22, which is around four kilometres from the plant, said, “The stink is in the air throughout the day but in the evening the situation becomes grave. We do not allow our children to go out after 7 p.m. fearing the smell may harm their health.”
“Many times there is a feeling that the carcass of an animal is decaying in our courtyard. We have sent many complaints to our area councillors.”
