The original plan was conceived by American planner Albert Mayer and Polish architect Matthew Nowicki. They designed Chandigarh’s layout inspired by a leaf vein network, creating blocks and super blocks, later called sectors, forming the city’s core. This structure introduced the idea that human activity functions best when organised into four essential needs: living, working, care of body, mind, and spirit, and circulation. Ensuring these were well-planned was critical to making the city comfortable and efficient.

Chandigarh was initially designed for a population of half a million, with each neighbourhood or sector catering to 80 per cent human activity, covering essentials like education, religion, culture, recreation, and open spaces. The city’s circulation system was car-driven, reflecting post-industrial trends, and this grid-based approach became a model for other urban planning projects.

In 2015, the master plan emphasised creating self-sustaining sectors for water, power, open spaces, air and solid waste management. However, the original plan lacked a proper solid waste management system, leading to legacy waste issues, particularly on the city’s western flank. The industrial area and railway station were wisely placed to avoid pollution in residential zones, but selection of the dumping site failed to follow the same principle, causing ongoing problems.

Efforts are being made by the municipal corporation to address these issues and move towards a cleaner, more planned Chandigarh that aligns with the city’s original vision.

On legacy waste

Dr Richa Singh: The Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 focuses on two key aspects: scientific treatment of fresh waste and remediation of existing dump sites. Across India, there are over 3,000 dump sites, and cities must address both ongoing waste generation and legacy waste. To achieve a ‘garbage-free city’ status, 100 per cent of daily waste must be treated scientifically, and existing dump sites must be remediated. However, the challenge arises when only a portion of the daily waste is treated, with the remainder added to existing dump sites. This leads to a never-ending cycle of waste accumulation and remediation.

Scientific remediation involves expensive processes like excavation, converting waste into windrows, and treating it with bio inoculum. While this is essential, the same dump sites will continue to grow if cities do not treat fresh waste adequately. The government’s long-term vision is to move from mixed waste dumping to 100 per cent scientific waste treatment. Though achieving 100 per cent may not be feasible immediately, an 85-90 per cent treatment rate is attainable.

According to the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, compostable, recoverable, recyclable, or reusable waste should not end up in landfills. For instance, Indore has successfully implemented a 550-metric-ton bio-CNG plant, converting daily waste into eco-friendly fuel. This model can be replicated across India, as the country has the technology and knowledge to address waste management effectively.

The real issue lies in waste segregation. Unsegregated waste is considered ‘waste’, but segregated waste becomes valuable feedstock for composting, anaerobic digestion and recycling. Waste management, therefore, is not just a technological problem but a social one. Both legacy and fresh waste management must be complementary activities. Cities should not focus solely on legacy waste while ignoring fresh waste, which must be source-segregated and properly treated to break the cycle of accumulation.

On mobilising the citizen

Manmohan Singh: I was a member of the infrastructure regulatory authority for Punjab. I am one of the responsible persons for the failure of this system in Punjab. When I was chief engineer, we evolved a new plan to have municipal solid waste management systems in Punjab by having eight clusters. We adopted the same old system — we would carry waste from the city and dump it somewhere. Then we would treat it. It was a failure. Most of the companies at that time were not aware of what was to be done. People in India, especially the people who administer, are late to get to such problems. As far as municipal waste for this city is concerned, and specifically, the legacy waste, it pollutes our groundwater, surface water, soil and atmosphere, because of greenhouse gases. In other words, it pollutes our hydrosphere, geosphere and atmosphere. This is the worst pollutant, which is not generally discussed. For example, if you ask someone, what is the main problem of Chandigarh immediately, they will say it is traffic. Then they will list housing or the fact that there is no service sector. Nobody talks about this pollutant. Chandigarh produces around 500 metric tons. If we go for waste segregation at source, 80 per cent of the problem can be solved. Why are the people not segregating? Segregation cannot be enhanced through fines. It depends on a person’s values, attitude and behaviour. There is a unique combination of people with different income segments, living standards and education in Chandigarh. There’s the high-income group, medium-income group, low-income group and then people from economically weaker sections (EWS). They have different values, attitudes and behaviour. In the NITI Ayog policy guidelines of 2021, a special emphasis was on promoting behavioural changes in the people for segregation at source. We need to create an impact in the schools. We may or may not change the attitude or behaviour of a person of 40 or 50 years of age. But we can inculcate these values in the children from the very beginning.

On waste segregation

Kapil Setia: A lot of work has been initiated in waste management, with technology playing a key role. The ICCC (Integrated Command Control Center) monitors vehicle movements for waste collection, and educational initiatives were initially integrated into this process. However, it’s unclear how effective these efforts are in less monitored sectors. The vans, monitored via a three-layer system, give alerts to inspectors, and corrective measures are taken.

Grassroot efforts, self-help groups, and NGOs have been vital in educating and driving change, especially in villages. Yet, there’s scepticism about the methodology of ranking cities, as other cities ranked higher don’t always seem better. One major failure is the JP solid waste processing plant. It was supposed to create energy for JP’s cement plants, but due to the plant’s closure and financial issues, the project failed, going into arbitration. The NGT monitors pollution caused by this.

Initial segregation centres (SSKs) have been replaced by newer facilities, but there’s still work to be done in managing wet waste. The Smart City project has invested heavily in upgrading STPs, affecting agricultural areas. Composting efforts have been made mandatory, but implementation remains difficult. Public participation is essential, and there have been movements to handle waste in markets and urban areas. However, large challenges remain.

Corporate funding and stronger

institutional mechanisms are needed for sustained improvement. The press has played a key role in holding the administration accountable, but more coordination between stakeholders is essential for achieving better results.

THE PANELISTS

Kapil Setia
Chief architect, Chandigarh

The industrial area and railway station in the city were wisely placed to avoid pollution in residential zones but the selection of the dumping site failed to follow the same principle, causing ongoing problems. The municipal corporation is working to address these issues and move towards a cleaner and more planned Chandigarh

Manmohan Singh
Former chief engineer

We may or may not be able to change the (waste management) attitude or behaviour of a person aged 40 or 50 years. But we can inculcate
these values in school-going children from a young age

Dr Richa Singh
Research scientist, University College Dublin

For a ‘garbage-free city’ status, 100 per cent of daily waste must be scientifically treated and existing dump sites must be remediated. The challenge arises when only a portion of it is treated