7 years on, waste segregation at source still a distant dream

Despite spending crores to ensure waste segregation at source and door-to-door collection, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has failed to achieve the 100 per cent target in the two categories of the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25.

While the city scored 93 per cent in the “door-to-door waste collection” category, it was at a dismal 14 per cent when it came to waste segregation at source. The poor performances in the two categories was a big reason for the city failing to upgrade to the Garbage Free City 3-star certification.

Efforts to ensure 100 per cent waste segregation at source began when the civic body purchased bins for segregation for over Rs 3 crore in 2017, but the target has not been reached yet.

The MC also bought and later distributed over 5 lakh bins for 2.5 lakh households free of cost, aiming to commence segregation of the waste from source. Each house was given two bins — a blue-coloured dustbin for dry garbage, and a second green-coloured container for wet waste. It, however, faced criticism when segregation could not begin even a year-and-a-half after the distribution of the bins.

The plan also came under fire when the audit department raised questions over the utility of the bins. The audit report noted that the money was wasted due to the lack of segregation of waste by the door-to-door collectors. It added that the bins had either been damaged or were being used for other purposes by the time the segregation began.

Under the solid waste management rules, the segregation of waste has been made mandatory from the source itself. Crores have already been spent on Sahaj Safai Kendras but the project failed to yield results. A huge amount of money had also been wasted on the dumping ground but the legacy waste still persists.

Need for joint efforts

Chandigarh Beopar Mandal president Sanjiv Chadda said broken bins had been replaced in several city markets as well. He highlighted the need for cooperation from residents to ensure that the goal is reached.

City Forum of Residents Welfare Organisations convener Vinod Vashisht echoed the sentiment, saying, “The bins installed in the markets are also broken and one can see the mixed garbage overflowing from them.”

Vashisht said there was a need to work hard to ensure waste segregation at source, door-to-door collection and 100 per cent processing. “Without improving the waste management system, the city cannot upgrade to 5-star or 7-star Garbage Free Cities (GFC) star ranking,” he added.

Addressing the issue, Deputy Mayor Taruna Mehta said there was a need to involve the residents and market welfare associations in waste management efforts to improve the city’s ranking.

Chandigarh