Locals slam move to develop waste plant in Bandhwari

The decision to develop an Integrated Solid Waste Management Plant in the Bandhwari area on the outskirts of Gurugram and Faridabad has come under sharp criticism from locals, who say the move will undo their own green ways of waste management.

After it caught fire in 2013, the Bandhwari landfill was shut for operations. Most housing societies in nearby areas had then adopted a decentralised waste management model and started converting their wet waste into compost.

Recently, in a meeting between civic authorities of Faridabad and Gurugram, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed. According to the MoU, a waste-to-energy plant, costing an estimated Rs 430 crore, will be developed in the area. As much as 28 acres of land has been earmarked for the project where a Chinese vendor, Ecogreen Energy, will be converting waste to energy for a concession period of 22 years.

Residents are calling this an 'undoing' of their efforts towards the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Most Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and housing complexes have installed compost plants in their premises to convert the wet waste into manure.

Not only locals, environmental experts and activists have also condemned the move, stating that it will have serious ecological, health, and economic impact on the lives of citizens. "Incineration is not an eco-sustainable solution. It is a wasteful problem. It has been scientifically proven that it leads to more pollution as it releases toxic compounds in the air that we breathe," city-based environmental activist Ruchika Sethi said.

Echoing the sentiment, former Scientific Officer at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, NB Nair, said, "Incineration of waste leads to emission of dioxin, which is not visible but is extremely hazardous for the environment. May be an immediate effect will not be noticed, but the gradual decay in the quality of air will endanger both human beings and wildlife in the Aravallis."

Then there are financial implications as well. According to reports of the Ministry of Urban Development, municipal agencies in India spend 5-25 per cent of their budget on solid waste management, of which collection and transportation constitute 80-95 per cent. As Bandhwari is almost 16 km from the main Gurugram area, it requires a lot of investment.

In addition, the livelihood of thousands of local rag-pickers will also be affected. For instance, more than 50 families collect waste and sell scrap metal near the popular Sheetla Mata temple. Many of them are not even aware of the latest developments.

When told that a Chinese company will now be taking care of the waste, rag-picker Toufiq Alam said, "We work all day long to earn as little as Rs 200. Now, if someone else will have control over the waste, how are we going to survive?"

Many such families have migrated from Bihar and West Bengal to make a living in Gurugram. "This decision is going to have many negative consequences. What is the point of hiring a foreign company to manage our waste when rag-pickers are not only segregating but helping in recycling of the waste?" Shashi Bhushan of the All India Kabadi Mazdoor Mahasang said.

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram staffers, however, claimed that it was a step towards a clean India. At the same time, the SWM rules of 2016 state that it is the duty of the urban local bodies to make its citizens aware and to promote segregation and decentralisation of waste. Despite multiple efforts, the officials could not be reached for comments.