The stink just refuses to die

Around 15 to 20 companies approached the Municipal Corporation with different technologies to dispose of garbage. One suggested to convert garbage into compost,but reservations were expressed over how to dispose of the compost.

Another suggested to produce electricity from garbage. But the price of the electricity being offered was three times more than the usual price. Also,more garbage than the city could generate was required to produce electricity.

When JP Associates approached the MC with the proposal to make fluff and pellets from garbage,it was readily accepted.

Lessons from abroad
A team of officials and councillors went to Germany to inspect a similar plant functioning there. The team was led by the then Mayor Surinder Singh and comprised councillors Lalit Joshi and Subhash Chawla,Municipal Commissioner P S Aujla,Medical Officer of Health Dr G C Bansal and Joint Commissioner H S Kandhola — at present,none of them is with the MC. The trip was sponsored by the company,and it had led to heated debates in the House.

Chawla said the plant they saw in Germany was surrounded by hills and was around 40 km away from the city. He added that the plant was not even visible from the road,and in order to ward off any stench,flowers were planted around it.

The problem
Controversies have surrounded the plant ever since it was inaugurated. Among the very first was a dispute over the non-inclusion of Mayor Pardeep Chhabra’s name in the list of invitees. Subsequently,the inauguration ceremony was boycotted by Congress councillors. The plant was inaugurated by UT Administrator General S F Rodrigues (Retd).

Set up at a cost of Rs 30 crore,the plant was to take 350 metric tones of garbage each day and produce pellets from it — till date,teams inspecting the plant have never seen the pellets. JP Associates had planned to send these pellets to its proposed cement plant in Solan,but the permission to set up the plant was denied. So the company had no buyer for the pellets.

While the plant was inaugurated in May 2008,the company could not make it functional within the stipulated time. Following this,a showcause notice was issued to it in April this year.

Time and again,councillors have revealed various anomalies in the functioning of the plant. For example,three months after the inauguration,it was discovered that the plant remained shut for several days every month.

Recently,it was found that a large quantity of unprocessed garbage (inerts) was being thrown into the dumping ground. As per the MoU,10 to 15 per cent of inerts can be dumped back,but this quantity was more. The company,meanwhile,has been complaining of the garbage’s high moisture content.

Now,residents living in various sectors around the site have been complaining of acute stench from the plant. While the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee has been monitoring the plant,a solution is yet to be found.

One of the reasons for the stench is that Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) is being burnt in furnaces to dry the garbage. RDF comprises an assortment of materials like animal carcasses,vegetable waste and leather pieces which generate foul smell when burnt.

So far,two reports have been prepared on the functioning of the plant — one by councillor Chander Mukhi Sharma and another by UT Deputy Commissioner R K Rao.

What is the solution?
“There needs to be a regular check of the calorific value of the garbage to see whether it is suitable to make pellets. Segregation of garbage should be done. Waste from slaughter houses,restaurants and vegetable waste should not be sent to the plant. A biomethanation plant should be used for them,” councillor Arshad Khan says. “Also,another hot-air dryer should be installed at the site and the stock of pellets and RDF should be checked.”

Councillor Pardeep Chhabra,who has been conducting regular checks at the plant,says burning of RDF is the major problem. “The company needs to use an alternate fuel to dry garbage. This would reduce the stink that has been troubling the city. It is important that the plant functions properly. And the problem of disposal of pellets and RDF should also be looked into.”

Former councillor Subhash Chawla says the plant must function,as there is hardly any space left to dump more garbage. “The company should discuss and be honest about the problems it is facing,” he says.

The mayor’s view
Mayor Kamlesh says she is “helpless” and hopes the Administration will take note. “We have highlighted the anomalies and made frequent checks at the plant. Residents have been facing a tough time due to the stink. The elected representatives do not have executing authority. We hope that a decision for the benefit of residents will be taken soon,” she says.