3 min readShimlaApr 8, 2025 10:03 AM IST
First published on: Apr 8, 2025 at 10:03 AM IST
Nearly 20,174 tonnes of residual waste out of the total 33,805 tonnes of legacy waste excavated over the past two years remain stored at the waste processing facility in Dugneri, Hamirpur Municipal Corporation commissioner Rahul Chauhan informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday.
In an affidavit submitted to NGT, Chauhan said the daily generation of fresh solid waste in Hamirpur district has risen to 12 tonnes, from 6.87 tonnes per day, following the expansion of the municipal limits in November 2024. He assured NGT that the remaining legacy waste would be cleared at the earliest, in a time-bound manner.
The affidavit came in response to a petition filed by Rita Sharma, a resident of the area, and others, who approached NGT, alleging “improper disposal of waste” by the municipal authorities. The matter is listed for hearing on Tuesday.
Residual or residue waste refers to non-hazardous material left behind after recycling or other waste management processes, often destined for landfills or energy recovery.
The NGT was informed that the Hamirpur Municipal Corporation had entered into an agreement with M/s Suntan Life for the clearance of legacy waste. While the original contract was extended until March 31 this year, it has now been extended to May 15.
“There are 68 bio-composting pits in use, and the compost produced is being sold to local farmers,” the affidavit read. “Excess wet waste is transported by the contractor to a bio-methanation facility in Ambala’s Jatwar. No fresh landfilling is being carried out, and the corporation is identifying suitable land for the disposal of inert waste.”
The affidavit further said that no incineration or plastic recycling is being conducted at the Hamirpur site. Final processing of organic waste is undertaken by M/s Suntan Life at Sarovar Agro Farms and Biogas Private Limited, Ambala, where it is converted into bio-gas and bio-manure, leaving no residual waste.
To handle fresh and legacy waste, the facility is equipped with a trommel, a weighbridge, a full set of compost pits, two baling machines and as many shredders and composting machines. Machinery for legacy waste includes a vibrator, separator, and excavator.
Legacy waste is first excavated, dried in windrows, then processed through mechanical separation and manual sorting before being sent for refuse-derived fuel (RDF) processing or recycling at facilities in Sonepat’s Kundli and Ambala’s Jatwar.
Only municipal solid waste is handled at the site — no hazardous, biomedical or e-waste being collected. Non-biodegradable waste is segregated and transported by the contractor for appropriate disposal. Construction and demolition (C&D) waste is also managed, and the corporation is finalising a new disposal site. Waste classified as RDF is transported out of state for further utilisation, and no special permissions are required under current regulations, the affidavit read.
Over one lakh cartons have already been repurposed, saving hundreds of kilograms of waste from landfills. 
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