Non-compliance boards put up at Chandigarh MC councillor’s Sector 50 society, three others

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, January 24

In an embarrassment for councillor Rajinder Sharma, the Municipal Corporation has again put up hoardings for non-compliance for the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016, at his society as well as three others.

The civic body has put up hoardings outside the gates of BSNL Society, Sector 50 (where the councillor resides); Progressive Society, Sector 50; Pushpak Society, Sector 49; and Kendriya Vihar Society, Sector 48, under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The notices were put up earlier as well, but removed following talks between the residents and MC.

No space on premises

How can we set up a processing facility on premises? It is already a developed area. There was no such provision when society came up. SK Sharma, President, BSNL Society

A resident of Pushpak Society said the hoardings were uncalled for as they were in the process of complying with notices issued earlier. “A machine to process waste is being set up in an open area near the Sehaj Safai Kendra here. It will process waste of all four societies. It is being installed under the MPLAD funds,” he said.

SK Sharma, president, BSNL Society, said: “How can we set up a processing facility on the premises? It is already a developed area. There was no such provision when society came up.” Similarly, Tarlochan Singh, president, Progressive Society, said: “We have no space. The residents are fed up with regular notices.”Slamming the civic body, local AAP leader Pardeep Bhardwaj said: “We fail to understand why they are putting up boards and then removing these only to put these back up again. It is denting the reputation of societies. These must be removed once and for all.”

BJP councillor Sharma said the machine would be set up soon. “The issue will be resolved and the boards will be removed,” he said.

Mayor Anup Gupta said: “There is a provision in the SWM Rules to process the waste in-house, but societies have no space. So, we have provided an area and are setting up a machine from the MPLAD funds. I will take up the matter of putting up hoardings again when things are under process.”