Sans authorised site, illegal dumping of construction waste plagues Solan

Ambika Sharma

Solan,June 12

Due to the lack of an authorised site for dumping construction and demolition waste (CDW) in Solan city, those undertaking excavation for construction works have no place to dump the waste in.

MC to get kather site back

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We are in the process of returning the CDW site at Kather to the Solan Municipal Corporation. The Forest Department has, however, staked claim to this site and they have been asked to produce revenue records in support of their claim within seven days. — Ajay Yadav, Additional Deputy Commissioner

Residents have to spend heavily on transporting this waste to sites outside the city limits. Not only does this adversely affect residents’ pockets it also robs the municipal corporation of revenue. Mostly, this waste can be found dumped at illegal sites on various link roads as there is no authorised site within the civic body’s limit.

Being among one of the fastest developing cities in the state, large-scale construction of commercial and housing colonies is underway in and around the city. The civic authority itself requires a dedicated site to dump CDW that is generated while undertaking developmental works such as construction of parking lots, sports complexes, commercial centres, etc.

Earlier, a site was approved for dumping CDW by the district administration at Kather Bypass on the Solan-Shimla National Highway. The municipal corporation was looking after the site but they failed to maintain it as per the norms, following which it was taken back by the administration.

Taking note of the large-scale dumping of CDW the State Pollution Control Board had also served a notice to the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee for violating various norms, though the committee later said the site did not belong to them.

Tonnes of waste was dumped at the site and the civic body could not streamline the process. The site overlooks a nullah and there were concerns the mound of debris could erode with heavy rain and hinder the natural flow of water in the nullah.

It was also approved as an authorised CDW dumping site for some years and the waste generated during the four-laning work was dumped there.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Ajay Yadav said, “We are in the process of returning the CDW site at Kather to the Solan Municipal Corporation, who are completing the due formalities.”

“The Forest Department has, however, staked claim to this site and they have been asked to produce revenue records in support of their claim within seven days. If they can prove their ownership, the land will be transferred to them else it will be given to the civic body for creating a CDW site,” added Yadav.