Solan: Without authorized site, illegal dumping of construction waste a problem in Solan

Solan: With no authorised site for dumping construction and demolition waste (CDW) in Solan city, excavators carrying out construction works have no place to dump their waste.

Municipal Corporation to take back Kather site

We are in the process of returning the CDW site at Kather to the Solan Municipal Corporation. However, the forest department has claimed the site and they have been asked to submit revenue records in support of their claim within seven days. – Ajay Yadav, Additional Deputy Commissioner. Residents have to spend heavily to transport this waste to sites outside the city limits. This not only adversely affects the pockets of residents but also causes loss of revenue to the Municipal Corporation. Mostly this waste is dumped at illegal sites on various link roads, as there is no authorised site within the municipal limits. Being one of the fastest growing cities in the state, large-scale construction of commercial and residential colonies is going on in and around the city. The Municipal Corporation itself needs a dedicated site where it can dump CDW generated during developmental works like construction of parking lots, sports complexes, commercial centres etc.

Earlier, a site was approved by the district administration to dump CDW at Kather bypass on Solan-Shimla national highway. The Municipal Corporation was looking after the site but they failed to maintain it as per norms following which the administration withdrew it.The State Pollution Control Board had also issued notice to the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee for violating various norms over the large scale dumping of CDW, however later the committee said that the site did not belong to them.Several tonnes of garbage was dumped at the site and the Municipal Corporation could not streamline the process. The site faces a drain and there were concerns that heavy rains may cause the pile of debris to overflow and obstruct the natural flow of water in the drain.It has been sanctioned for a few years by the authorised CDW directorate. It was also approved as a dumping site and waste generated during the four-laning work was dumped here. “We are in the process of returning the CDW site at Kather to the Solan Municipal Corporation, which is completing the necessary formalities,” additional deputy commissioner Ajay Yadav said. “However, the forest department has claimed the site and they have been asked to produce revenue records in support of their claim within seven days. If they can prove their ownership, the land will be transferred to them else it will be given to the civic body to make it a CDW site,” Yadav said.