Chandigarh: Debris dumped on land meant for garden waste

Amarjot Kaur

Chandigarh, January 31

Though the Municipal Corporation has earmarked 22 places in the city for dumping debris, construction waste continues to be thrown around the N-choe flowing in Sector 36 here.

Just 20 metres away from the sector’s garbage collection centre, on the right hand banks of the N-choe, a small tract of land was meant for dumping garden waste, informed a source.

However, this land is being used for dumping malba, including broken tiles, cement and bricks. The debris, now on the top right side of the choe, is slipping down the slope into it.

“This area was meant for dumping garden waste coming from the residential areas nearby. As you see, there are big houses with big lawns here. Gardeners were meant to throw decayed leaves and sticks from the gardens of houses they worked in. For the past several months, only construction waste is being dumped here,” a source from the sector said.

MC Commissioner Anindita Mishra said the government was now tightening the noose around debris dumpers.

“This is a big problem across the city. When the MC has earmarked 22 places for disposing of construction waste, we often see malba being dumped in no-debris zones. Trucks loaded with debris come and dump construction waste at night. We have issued several challans to such people too. Now, they have left us with no other choice but to get stricter.”

She said, “Though the choe comes under the UT Administration’s jurisdiction, waste management and cleanliness around it was MC’s responsibility. I have already ordered ‘no littering’ signboards to be installed near choes and offenders will be fined. It is also public’s responsibility to not litter. This is basic civic sense.”

Mitra said she would do an inspection of the choe in Sector 36 with the chief engineer from the MC and the Administration.

“I will be going there on February 2 to take stock of the area and pollution there. N-choe is a major concern for us,” she said.