After facing months of frustrating delays, the city of Panchkula is on the brink of a significant environmental upgrade. The long-awaited horticultural waste processing plant is finally moving from the planning stage to execution, promising a sustainable solution to the city's mounting green waste problem.
Cutting Through Delays: Direct Procurement Paves the Way
The ambitious project had been stuck in a cycle of tendering delays and failed attempts to finalize an operating agency. To break this deadlock, the Municipal Corporation (MC) took a decisive step. They directly procured the necessary machinery from the same vendor that successfully set up a similar facility in neighboring Chandigarh. This strategic move bypassed the procedural bottlenecks that had stalled progress for so long.
City Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal confirmed the development, stating, "We have purchased the machinery and expect delivery within a week. Once installed in the Industrial Area, the plant will be operated by a private agency." This hands-on approach by the MC has brought the project closer to reality than it has been in months.
Investment and Technology: A Rs 2.42 Crore Eco-Solution
Under a revised plan, the MC has sanctioned a substantial investment of Rs 2.42 crore for the specialized equipment required. The procurement includes a comprehensive suite of machinery designed for efficient waste conversion:
- A briquette machine
- A hammer mill
- A flash dryer
- A tractor-mounted grab bucket
- A dedicated pollution control system
The core function of the plant will be to transform horticultural waste—like garden trimmings, leaves, and grass—into compact briquettes. This process offers a clean, eco-friendly alternative to the current practices of open dumping and burning, which contribute to air and land pollution.
Addressing a Growing Civic Nuisance
The urgency for this plant has been underscored by the visible and problematic accumulation of unmanaged green waste across Panchkula. For months, residents have witnessed piles of horticultural waste dumped indiscriminately, often on vacant residential plots in Sector 21 and other areas developed by the HSVP.
The situation became so dire that in some instances, community centres were repurposed as unofficial dumping grounds for a mix of horticultural and construction debris. This not only created an eyesore but also posed potential health and environmental hazards for local communities.
With the machinery procurement now complete, civic officials are hopeful that the plant will become operational in the near future. Its activation is expected to provide much-needed relief from the haphazard disposal of green waste, marking a positive step toward better urban cleanliness and sustainability for Panchkula.
