Concern mounts over inefficient solid waste management plant as swacchhta ranking suffers
The solid waste management plant at Patvi village is turning out to be a cause for concern for the Ambala Municipal Corporation due to various irregularities in the operations and violations of the Solid Waste Management Rules. Earlier, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board had imposed a fine on the municipal corporation for the violations at Patvi, now the Mayor has expressed disappointment with the functioning of the plant.
Why is the solid waste management plant under scrutiny?
The Haryana State Pollution Control Board, during the inspection in October last year had found various deficiencies and shortcomings. The Ambala MC is responsible for its day-to-day operations. Specifications laid down for sanitary landfills were not being complied with. The facility was found operational without obtaining prior consent to establish (CTE) and consent to operate (CTO) from the board and without obtaining environment clearance. It was operational in an unscientific/unauthorised manner without adopting the due measures laid down under the Solid Waste Management Rules. The annual return of the municipal solid waste handled for previous years was not submitted, and the solid waste was not being managed scientifically. A huge quantity of mixed municipal solid waste was found dumped at the site.
What was the action taken by the HSPCB?
Following the violations, a show-cause notice was issued to the Municipal Corporation, Ambala, and the authorities were asked to comply with the norms and submit their action plan. In view of the non-compliances of the directions, an environmental compensation of Rs 62 lakh was imposed on the municipal corporation in June, with the instruction to deposit the compensation within 15 days. However, the amount is yet to be deposited and the HSPCB has decided to take up the matter with higher authorities.
How much garbage is being dumped at the Patvi plant?
As per Ambala Mayor Shailja Sachdeva, the records at Patvi plant showed that nearly 220 tonnes of garbage is being dumped at the plant daily. However, a huge quantity of garbage was left in the city, which affected the ranking in the Swacchh Survekshan. Ambala City was ranked 212th in the recently announced Swacchh Survekshan ranking, and to understand the functioning of the garbage collection and processing, the Mayor visited the solid waste management plant and expressed disappointment with its functioning.
What action has been planned to improve the situation?
After obtaining documents from the plant, a complete audit of the garbage collection and the solid waste management plant is to be done, and then further action will be recommended accordingly. Dissatisfied with the functioning of the officials of the municipal corporation and their response, the Mayor has also decided to take up the matter with Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
Haryana Tribune