Latest news with #MohaliMunicipalCorporation
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Mohali MC to rope in private hand to drive waste segregation
Stung by a dismal performance in the 2024 Swachhta Survekshan rankings, the Mohali Municipal Corporation (MC) is ramping up efforts to ensure proper waste segregation at source, one of its weakest waste management areas, by roping in a private player for door-to-door garbage collection for the first time. Garbage strewn around on roadsides across the city points to the long road ahead for Mohali in managing its daily waste effectively. (Sanjeev Sharma/HT) Currently, garbage collection in the city remains disorganised, with both sanitation workers and residents failing to segregate waste at source. In the rankings announced on July 17, Mohali fell to the 128th spot among 903 cities with population between 50,000 and 3 lakh — a sharp drop from 82nd last year. Within Punjab, it slipped to the 11th spot among 35 cities, compared to first place last year among cities with over 1 lakh population. Mohali scored 69.93% — earning 8,742 out of 12,500 marks — compared to last year's 82.72% (6,204.20 out of 7,500). Officials attributed the poor performance largely to non-segregation of waste at source and poor processing of waste generated —two key parameters in the central government's cleanliness survey. Tech-enabled monitoring MC commissioner Parminder Pal Singh said, 'For the first time, we are privatising door-to-door garbage collection and will float tenders next week. Our aim is to implement an end-to-end, tech-enabled, efficient waste management system in compliance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.' As part of the plan, sanitation workers will sensitise households about waste segregation. Each household will be assigned a QR code, and violations, such as mixing wet and dry waste, will be logged in real-time via a mobile app with time and date. Repeat violations will be escalated to MC sanitary inspectors. Collection vehicles will be required to have separate compartments for wet and dry waste and deliver it to Material Recovery Facilities without mixing. Any violation, including mixing of waste post-collection, will attract strict penalties as per the Service Level Agreement. Three plants set up for waste processing To improve processing, MC has also set up two waste management facilities at Shahimajra and Jagatpura villages, where shed construction and machinery installation is complete. A Panchkula-based agency has been hired to install waste sorting equipment at both sites. While dry waste will be processed here, wet waste will be sent to another shed in Phase 3A. The Shahimajra plant has a daily processing capacity of 40 tonnes and the Jagatpura facility can handle 80 tonnes per day. These steps come in the wake of the Punjab and Haryana high court ordering closure of the Phase 8-B dumping ground, leaving the city with no designated dump. CSR-funded park upkeep Meanwhile, in a bid to improve park maintenance and reduce financial strain, MC has also decided to hand over five major city parks to private companies under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) model. Mohali currently has 798 parks, including 39 designated as 'Special Parks' and 194 maintained by Residents' Welfare Associations (RWAs). The plan is to bring 604 parks, including all 39 Special Parks and 565 others, under CSR to enhance upkeep and transparency.
Indian Express
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Demand to shut Phase 11 RMC point: Mayor issues ultimatum, says ‘lock it up if not resolved by Sept 30'
The Mohali Municipal Corporation meeting Friday witnessed heated discussions over the city's deteriorating sanitation and garbage management. Many councillors raised serious concerns about unhygienic conditions in their areas, issues with RMC (resource management centre) points, and Mohali's disappointing ranking in the recent Swachh Survekshan. Councillors Harjit Singh Bholu, Kulwant Singh Kaler, and Narpinder Singh Rangi from Phases 10 and 11 staged a protest demanding the closure of the RMC point near the railway line in Phase 11. Holding placards and raising slogans, they claimed that residents of the area were being deprived of clean air. Issues related to garbage dumping in Phase 5, Sector 71, and other areas were also discussed during the meeting. Disappointment over cleanliness survey Councillor Manjit Sethi questioned the Municipal Corporation's performance, stating, 'A prestigious city like Mohali has now turned into a dumping ground.' Officials assure swift resolution Municipal Commissioner Parminder Pal Singh acknowledged the hurdles caused due to the closure of the dumping ground and assured that a solution would be found soon. He emphasised the importance of waste segregation and informed the House that tenders had been issued to appoint a new private company for door-to-door waste collection. Mayor's ultimatum on RMC points Mayor Amarjit Singh Jeeti Sidhu issued a stern warning, declaring that if the garbage issue is not resolved by September 30, he would personally join protesting councillors to lock the RMC point. He directly held the state government responsible for not providing a dedicated garbage dumping site. CSR model for park maintenance sparks debate There was opposition to the proposal of handing over city parks to corporate houses under the CSR model. Councillors Manjit Sethi, Sukhdev Singh Patwari, and Rangi questioned the accountability of corporates when even contractors aren't being properly monitored. The mayor suggested starting with a pilot project in five parks, which was passed unanimously. Biometric attendance and other resolutions passed A unanimous resolution was passed to install biometric attendance systems in the respective departments where staff are deployed. Several other resolutions were also passed as per procedure. Gaushala, ward work, and sewerage issues raised Councillor Gurmeet Kaur raised concerns over the gaushala in Phase 1, citing bad odour, filth, and risk of infections, especially due to its proximity to a hospital, making it a public health hazard. Councillor Baljeet Kaur accused officials of political bias in stalling work in her ward and warned of escalating the issue to higher authorities. Rainwater drainage system demands Councillors Rupinder Kaur Reena and Baljeet Kaur demanded the release of Rs 200 crore by the state government to improve the rainwater drainage system. The Commissioner stated that unless each area manages its own water outflow, the problem would persist. He proposed a plan to widen the causeways.
Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
F&CC issues work orders worth Rs 67 cr, approves new estimates of Rs 4 crore
The Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) of Mohali Municipal Corporation Wednesday issued work orders worth Rs 67 crore for works previously approved and passed new estimates worth Rs 4 crore. The works approved mainly include scarifying the roads and then laying premix on them. Some of these works are already in progress in Mohali. Apart from premix work on main roads and internal streets, work relating to desilting of sewerage lines, cleaning of road drains, and other development tasks were also included. Speaking to The Indian Express after the meeting, Mayor Amarjit Singh Jeeti Sidhu said that roads in Mohali whose lifespan had ended are being overlaid with premix, and in particular, in several areas, roads are being scraped before applying premix so that their height does not increase. Special attention is being given to this on the main roads. He added that work in Mohali is being carried out according to the needs and suggestions of councillors of different wards as well as local residents. He said that officials have been instructed to monitor these works from time to time so that there is no compromise with quality. He said that if there is any deficiency in the quality of the ongoing works, then action will be taken against the contractors and the responsible officers concerned. Present in the meeting were Municipal Commissioner Parminder Pal Singh, Senior Deputy Mayor Amrik Singh Somal, Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi, committee members councillors Jasbir Singh Manku and Anuradha Anand, along with Chief Engineer Naresh Batta and other officials.
Indian Express
07-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
‘Operation Clean' set to sweep Mohali markets, illegal vendors face eviction
In a decisive move against rampant illegal encroachments, the Mohali Municipal Corporation is set to launch 'Operation Clean', a large-scale crackdown aimed at evicting street vendors occupying public spaces across the city's markets. Sources confirm that all preparations for the operation have been finalised, with municipal enforcement teams and police machinery put on high alert to evict the vendors across various phases and sectors. What started as a few hundreds has exploded over the years. A survey conducted by the civic body earlier recorded around 1,000 vendors, but officials say the actual count is more than double the number, severely affecting the commercial landscape. 'These vendors have formed unions and call themselves shopkeepers, alleging that anyone who objects is silenced through collective intimidation. Even councillors admit that some shopkeepers are renting out space in front of their shops to these vendors, complicating the problem.' Residents and traders argue that most vendors are not even from Mohali but commute daily from Chandigarh and Punjab, and do not pay any local taxes. 'Our own legal businesses pay taxes to run day-to-day operations while these vendors sell underpriced counterfeit goods,' a Phase 3B2 shopowner disclosed. Reeling from pressure, a public meeting was held under the chairmanship of Joint Commissioner Parminder Pal Singh to demand swift action. 'The Mayor and MC Commissioner are also collecting Aadhaar and Voter IDs of illegal vendors,' said an official. The civic body has already identified more than 1,000 illegal vendors through a special survey. Officials confirmed that a strict deadline has been set after which all unauthorised vendors will soon be removed.
Indian Express
02-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Mohali civic body to spend Rs 80 lakh on renting pumps again
Despite repeated failure to provide relief to people in the rainy season, the Mohali Municipal Corporation is once again relying on the same drainage system involving pumps, which has proven ineffective in the past. This time, it plans to rent tractor-mounted de-watering pumps at a cost of Rs 80 lakh for a period of three months. This move has drawn criticism not only from the public but also from several municipal councillors. To date, the Municipal Corporation has failed to implement a lasting solution to waterlogging. The same temporary pump-based system, which failed last year when pumps stopped working mid-rain, is being proposed again. Councillors argue that the amount being spent could be better utilised in establishing a permanent drainage solution. According to residents, areas like Phase 3B2, 4, 5, Phase 11, and Sectors 70 and 71 experience severe flooding each monsoon. Parts of Phase 1 are also significantly affected, leading to major inconvenience and financial losses for residents. In response, the corporation plans to install the rented pumps in these areas and deploy personnel to ensure immediate drainage during rainfall. In 2016, the MC appointed a team of PEC engineers to address the issue of water logging. The team pointed out flaws in the city's old drainage system and recommended laying 26 km of new pipelines with diameters ranging from 80–100 mm. They also suggested installing a rainwater harvesting system and channeling excess water into the seasonal rivulet, Patiala Ki Rao. However, despite the passage of nine years, the MC has taken no action on the report. As a result, low-lying areas remain affected, and during every monsoon, homes and streets are repeatedly flooded, causing residents continuous inconvenience and financial losses amounting to lakhs of rupees. What Officials Say In this regard, when several attempts were made to contact Commissioner Municipal Council Parminder Pal Singh, he could not be contacted on the phone. Amrik Singh Somal, Senior Deputy Mayor & councillor, Sector 71 'GMADA has not been cooperating in resolving this issue. In fact, they raised the levels of Airport Road and the Kumbhra-Balongi Road, which has caused rainwater to flood into sectors 70 and 71. We demand permission to lay pipelines up to the Kumbhra Light Point to enable proper drainage and offer a permanent solution.' Kuljit Singh Bedi, Deputy Mayor & councillor, Phase 3B2: 'This issue arises every year, causing immense trouble to residents. While a permanent solution is still pending, renting pumps is currently the only option for temporary relief. Unfortunately, this has become an annual compulsion.' Baljit Kaur, councillor, Phase 5 'After the construction of a causeway on the Phase 5 road, some relief was observed in the HIG and 7.5 marla belts. However, the 10 marla belt continues to suffer from rainwater accumulation. The best solution is to install direct pipelines to the Balongi drain.' Rupinder Kaur Reena, councillor, Phase 4 'Renting pumps is a waste of public money. Instead of spending such a large amount on temporary equipment, a causeway should be constructed on the dividing road. It would cost less and solve the problem effectively.' Mayor Amarjit Singh Jeeti Sidhu 'A comprehensive drainage project worth Rs 200 crore has been planned after conducting a survey. However, this project is beyond the financial scope of the Municipal Corporation. We have written to the government for financial assistance. Once the funds are received, we will begin work to ensure a permanent solution to the city's waterlogging issue.'
