PANCHKULA: The final hurdle in the way of solid waste management plant at Jhuriwala village in Panchkula district has finally been crossed as the project got the environment ministry clearance on Wednesday.

With this, garbage dumping in Panchkula, Kalka and Pinjore will no longer be an issue as plant will rid the towns of open dumping and eye sores. It is estimated that the project, with a life span of 25 years, will kick off within six months and by December 2012 it would be functional.The plant is being constructed by Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) under BOT (Built operate transfer) basis. It also plans to make fertilizer from the garbage collected.

Though HUDA had got clearance from the Air Force, pollution control board and wildlife department, it took almost two years to meet environment ministry conditions and get the clearance. A senior HUDA official said, 'The expert committee of environment ministry in its final hearing on November 9 gave the clearance.' Prior to this, HUDA officials had submitted the project report four times but the proposal was shot down by the expert committee. Besides, HUDA held two public hearings in Panchkula to register public views and objections over the project. The completion of the project will bring relief to residents of sector 23 to 28 as HUDA and MC are presently dumping garbage in an open ground in sector 23.