Smart city mission to take care of waste plant construction

JALANDHAR: The building work of a construction and demolition (C&D) waste plant, which was earlier the responsibility of the municipal corporation (MC), has been shifted to the Smart City Mission by the project’s executive body, said an MC official here on Tuesday.

The official, on condition of anonymity said, “As the government is releasing funds under the mission, it's a better option to include it under the Smart City Mission.”

“From past one year, the MC has not announced or initiated any development work due to lack of funds. The state government has also not announced anything new for the city,” he added. The situation, however, remains grim as the city has received only ₹50 crore out of the total ₹1,000 crore that were alloted for the mission. The Centre and the State had to give the funds in a 50:50 ratio for development over a period of five years.

The consequent lack of funds has lead to setbacks in development projects already shortlisted under the Smart City Mission — Roof top solar power, conversion of diesel auto to CNG, parking for auto-rickshaws, introduction of e-rickshaws, smart buses, smart roads, smart parking and upgrading night shelters, being some of them.

WHY IS THE PLANT IMPORTANT

A circular stating the C&D Waste Management Rules, 2016, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change placed a strong emphasis on the role and accountability of waste generators and various stakeholders, giving importance to segregation, recovery, reuse and recycle and management of the waste generated.

“With rapid urbanisation, construction and demolition waste is a major contributor to the waste generated in the million-plus cities and is being illegally dumped on roadsides and drains, causing environmental pollution and degradation,” the circular had mentioned.

The Union Development Ministry in January last year, had then directed the cities with more than 10 lakh population to build a waste recycling plant.