Indian Express 19.08.2010
Councillor lists cons of waste treatment plant
Express News Service Tags : waste treatment plant, civic Posted: Thu Aug 19 2010, 01:40 hrs
Chandigarh: Councillor Chander Mukhi Sharma has moved a complaint against the garbage processing plant at Dadumajra to UT Adviser Pradip Mehra. The complaint talks of various issues including the plant not being fully functional as well as the ill-effects on the health of residents.The complaint states that the garbage processing plant was conceived with the intention to process the complete city garbage for which the technology from the garbage to refuse derived fuel (RDF) was selected. Land was made available on notional charges of Rs 1 per square metre per annum by the Municipal Corporation. Initially, the cost of plant was Rs 10 crore in 2005 which escalated to Rs 32.5 crore in 2008. The plant was commissioned in May 2008 and till date the plant is unable to process the garbage in the city.
The complaint further says that the plant is emitting dioxins and furans. “The emission of these gases are in the knowledge of Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee. These gases have an ill-effect on the health of residents. The CPCC is the only statutory body which can take action against polluters,” states the complaint.
Studies pertaining to the ill affects of the dioxins and furans were also submitted with the complaint.
A spokesperson for the plant said the report pertaining to the dioxins and furans was still not available with the CPCC. “The fumes had been taken for testing, but the report is not available. No conclusion can be drawn till the final report is prepared. The directions given by the CPCC are being followed by us,” said the spokesperson.
