Mohali may be emerging as the realtors’ hub, with high-rise apartment buildings and luxury housing societies coming up at every nook and corner but it is yet to put in place a proper construction waste collection system. The result: C&D waste dumped on vacant plots, roadsides, garbage dumps and other areas.
Although Mohali has its own construction and demolition (C&D) waste processing plant, it seems to be reluctant to catch defaulters. Its apathy can be gauged by the fact that in one year, it found only three persons dumping construction debris along roads. Only three persons were penalised for the violation in 2022.
AdvtIn 2023, only two persons have been challaned for the violation till date and five persons have been penalised in 16 months. According to MC records, the civic body collected a penalty of Rs 7,000 by challaning five persons.
MC commissioner Navjot Kaur said, “We have a proper C&D waste processing plant in Balongi and we have authorised two C&D waste landfill sites in Balongi and phase 11. We have been regularly checking the waste being dumped and challaning violators. Directions will be issued to intensify the challaning process for C&D waste dumped on sites apart from authorised landfill sites.”
Besides residents, government authorities are also violating norms. Construction material has been dumped outside the office of Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (Gmada), blocking the stormwater road gully. Big concrete blocks have been dumped in the green belt near the Puda-Gmada headquarters for many days, with concrete blocks thrown on the road gully.
A retired engineer from Gmada, N S Kalsi said, “Who cares for the city? Agencies only work till their vested interests are fulfilled. People have been habitual of encroaching upon government land, throwing garbage at street ends and spoiling the environment by throwing construction waste at sector crossings. It is poor work of the authorities concerned to check such violations.”
AdvtA senior MC officer said that the Government of India (GoI) has notified construction demolition waste management rules 2016 in which construction building material, including cement debris and stones etc is to be reused after recycling. C&D waste should not be dumped in open spaces or landfill grounds without processing.
All local government institutions should recycle such material for which they have been directed to install C&D waste processing plant. MC, Mohali has installed the C&D waste processing plant as well as cement concrete products factory to use recycled products. The C&D waste processing plant manufactures road material like PCC kerbs, PCC channel, PCC tiles, paver blocks etc at a relatively low cost. It reduces the in-house cost of construction by up to 10%.