Dadumajra waste processing plant: Shimla MC agrees to pay fee to company running unit

The company, the JP Associates, had held back five garbage-loaded trucks from Shimla for about five days in the first week of March owing to non-payment of tipping fee.

The garbage processing plant near Dadumajra. Express

The Shimla Municipal Corporation has finally agreed to pay tipping fee to the company running the only garbage processing plant in Dadumajra. The company, the JP Associates, had held back five garbage-loaded trucks from Shimla for about five days in the first week of March owing to non-payment of tipping fee.

However, the tipping fee would be the same the Shimla civic body was paying earlier to their processing plant, which was closed later.

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A special finance committee of the Shimla Municipal Corporation has agreed to pay Rs 189 per tonne of waste to the Chandigarh garbage processing plant.

Following the closure of the solid waste management plant at Bhariyal on the outskirts of Shimla, the NGT on October 1, 2015, had passed orders for processing the waste generated in Shimla at the Dadumajra garbage processing plant.

Shimla municipal assistant commissioner Prashant Sirkek said though it is the social responsibility of the Chandigarh plant to take our garbage, we have decided to pay the tipping fee.

Sirkek told The Chandigarh Newsline: “When the NGT had ordered that the garbage be sent to the Chandigarh plant for processing, it was supposed to be the social responsibility of the company to do the same. However, since they demanded tipping charges, we have approved Rs 189 per tonne of waste to be given to them.”

The Shimla MC has already given an advance payment of Rs 2 lakh to the Dadumajra processing plant authorities following which the trucks were released after unloading the garbage, said the assistant commissioner.

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Though the Shimla MC may have approved the payment of tipping charges to the plant, they are in a fix as to where the garbage will be dumped if the Dadumajra plant authorities shut down their unit, as stated in a letter to the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation.

According to the letter, the garbage processing plant authorities stated that they will shut down the plant by March 31, 2016, if the Chandigarh civic body doesn’t pay tipping charges of Rs 1,000 per tonne of waste to them. The plant manager said they are running into losses.

On the other hand, the Chandigarh MC is no mood to pay tipping charges. Sources said the MC is working on to get an alternative company.

“According to the MOU, no payment of tipping charges was ever discussed. So, we are considering the alternatives,” said a senior official.

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However, the plant manager had been called by the MC commissioner to give a complete proposal in writing to them as to what are their demands and how would they be executing them. Since October 5, 2015, around 60 tonnes of garbage from Shimla has been coming to Chandigarh daily.

Hina Rohtaki

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory. Professional Background Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance. Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows. Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends: 1. Investigative & Financial Reporting "Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff. "Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control. "Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT. 2. Governance & Constitutional Status "What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance. "MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure. "No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term. 3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment "Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts. "UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network. "Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump. 4. Lifestyle & Local Trends "Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year. "After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges. Signature Beat Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse. X (Twitter): @HinaRohtaki ... Read More

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