Swachh team here next month, UT’s performance may dwindle

UT Adviser Dharam Pal, while speaking to The Indian Express, said that the existing plant’s upgradation will also take three to four months. “We may suffer on account of processing of waste because our plant isn’t ready yet. And until we get a new technology of waste to energy plant, we had thought of upgrading the existing one. And even the existing plant’s upgradation will take three to four months,” Adviser Dharam Pal said.

However, the Adviser added that they are trying to work on all other parameters which could fetch good marks to the city. “Like segregation in the city is quite on track. And we are encouraging resident welfare associations as well to ensure that segregation is done by the households,” he said.

UPGRADATION OF PLANT PASSED ONLY LAST MONTH

Last month, the General House approved the repair of the waste processing plant at Dadumajra at a cost of Rs 6.33 crore. It was thought to repair the existing plant until the new waste to energy plant comes up. The existing plant at Dadumajra has not been functioning ever since the MC took over.

The Chandigarh MC had earlier signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Jai Prakash Associates for setting up of a Garbage (MSW) Processing Plant at Chandigarh on built, operate and transfer basis. The implementation agreement between the MC and Jai Prakash Associates was signed in December, 2005. The plant started functioning in May, 2008 with a capacity of processing 500 MT of waste without segregation. After 2016, the plant was not properly operated or maintained by the agency as the demand of tipping fee by the company became a point of contention between MC and the company. With time, the quantity of mixed waste treated by the plant reduced to merely 100 tonnes and the remaining waste had to be sent to the dumping ground.

A legal case also started between the company and the MC. Finally, the plant was taken over by the MC in June, 2020 after terminating the agreement and has, since then, been running the dry and wet waste plant. The mixed waste plant is not working at present due to non-functional machinery.

At the moment, IIT Ropar has been approved as a consultant for studying municipal solid waste in Chandigarh and to provide request for proposal for setting up a waste to energy plant. A preliminary technical draft report has already been submitted by IIT Ropar to the MC. It was stated that as the decision regarding construction of new plant and its working may take some time, the overhaul and repair of the existing plant has been proposed so as to make it functional till then.

HOME COMPOSTING MANDATORY FOR GOVERNMENT HOUSES

With less time left for the Survekshan team to come to Chandigarh, UT Administration is making all efforts to encourage home-composting in various areas. As the target is to reach 10,000 houses for composting, Dharam Pal stated that they are now ensuring that at least before the public picks up composting, it is done in all government houses.

“We are ensuring that home composting is done in all government houses and offices,” Pal said. Even the local councillors have been told to meet the RWAs and encourage home-composting as much as possible.

LAST SWACCH SURVEKSHAN PERFORMANCE WAS DISMAL

Last year’s performance of Chandigarh was so dismal that it had become embarrassing for the officials as well. Chandigarh had a big fall as it ranked 66th nationally (score-wise) and clinched to the 16th rank in the 10 lakhs plus population category in the Swachh Survekshan 2021 results declared November, 2021.

Indore had bagged the first position, followed by Surat and Vijayvada. Of the total 6,000 marks, Chandigarh got an overall score of 4,277.29. Score-wise Chandigarh ranked 66, which included all urban local bodies. In the sub-category of 10 lakh and above population, Chandigarh ranked 16 out of 48 urban local bodies that fall in this category.

In 2020 Chandigarh had ranked 16th nationally and eighth in the 10 lakh plus category.

Survekshan includes components of service level progress, certification and citizen’s voice. The survey had covered 4,320 cities, including 62 cantonment boards. Swachh Survekshan 2021 was completely digitised as the data was collected through multifarious platforms like apps and portals, especially designed for conducting the assessment.

The assessment began from March 1, 2021 to March 31, 2021.