Garbage choking N-Choe, Chandigarh wing told to install iron nets

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, January 19

The Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) has requested the UT Engineering Department to install iron nets to check the disposal of waste into N-Choe. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had issued a notice to the CPCC on “how garbage is choking the choe”.

In an affidavit filed with the NGT, the CPCC submitted that the Engineering Department had been urged to install iron nets wherever required along the banks of the rivulet to prevent the dumping of waste into it.

The CPCC stated N-Choe, which runs through the city and merges with the Ghaggar, flowed adjacent to road at certain places due to which people conveniently dumped waste on its banks that hindered the natural flow of water, besides affecting its quality.

The CPPC had earlier directed the city Municipal Corporation to take corrective measures, including fixing of iron nets, to ensure that there was no disposal of waste into the water body.

Although iron nets were installed at some places, there are still gaps which need to be plugged immediately. During a recent inspection carried out on January 3, the CPCC again observed that solid waste was being dumped into the choe and raised the matter with the Engineering Department. It found that even the iron nets wherever installed were not up to the mark and asked the department to take corrective measures.

With respect to the flowing of liquid waste into N-Choe, the CPCC submitted that earlier there were around 15 points from where wastewater was being discharged, which had since been plugged in light of directions issued by the NGT.