Experts gather to solve garbage issue

Chairman,Urban Management Consultant,Ahmedabad,P U Asnani said that city waste is always heterogeneous and that there is a need to plan out how much land is required for the landfill. “The collection system can be changed. Modern covered vehicles should be introduced for garbage collection. These could collect garbage directly from the residential areas and then take it to the Garbage Processing Plant. In areas like the slums,where large collection vehicles cannot enter,handcarts can made used,” he said.

The fact that Chandigarh is a landlocked city,leaving little space to spare for a dumping ground,was highlighted. A need for having information,education and communication campaigns was also stressed upon.

Representatives of JP Associates,that is managing the Garbage Processing Plant at Dadumajra,gave a presentation on the functioning of the plant. Questions were raised by the experts on the quantity of inerts being produced from the plant as well as the stench and other emissions. The plant management stated that they were in the process of installing equipment that is likely to solve some of these problems.

During the workshop Municipal Corporation gave a presentation on the present system of waste management being practised. The challenge of segregation of waste,daily lifting of garbage,foul smell emanating from garbage processing plant and management of the dumping ground were discussed.

PJS Dadwal from Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee highlighted the need for monitoring the emissions from the garbage processing plant. Prof R K Kohli from Panjab University spoke about the importance of composting of the organic waste.