Keeping four bins is practically difficult in small houses. First, bins designed in a practical manner should be made available and can also be sold through garbage collectors. Once the requisite is done, people are most likely to comply with segregation norms. Challaning at this initial stage will only result in corruption.
Sapna Sharda, Chandigarh
Give city residents some more time
The MC has come out with good guidelines for disposal of garbage. Since the city has a good population of senior citizens, it is quite possible they find it difficult to segregate garbage immediately so meticulously. As such, there should be a trial period, as was given last time, during which only warnings may be issued.
NPS Sohal
Appreciate MC initiative
Rajeev Vihar Army Housing Society, Sector 13, Mani Majra, is one society where the segregation of four types of household waste has been going on for a long time. Residents are voluntary contributing in making it a model society. We fully support the Chandigarh MC in this endeavour.
Col GS Dhillon, Chandigarh
Will help rid the city of garbage mountain
Dangerous household waste can cause injuries to sanitation staff. To have a sustainable waste management, it becomes the duty of people to properly segregate garbage as per the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016. This will help rid the city of the mountains of garbage. Defaulters should be dealt with as per the rules 2016.
Vijay Shukla, Chandigarh
Rope in associations to create awareness
It is too early to challan residents as they are yet to come to terms with new guidelines. Residents’ associations have to be roped in to sensitise people to the need for keeping four bins in their homes. The time is not ripe for challaning residents till they are fully made aware of the benefits and proper segregation of garbage.
MR Bhateja, Nayagaon
Provide proper infra
The municipal corporation is coming up with all the ways to increase revenue, but has failed to provide proper infrastructure to the public. Residents are already segregating their dry and wet waste. Segregation of four types of waste will turn our houses into dustbin homes, especially small ones. The MC had failed to put in place proper garbage-disposal techniques that is the reason why the city fared poorly in Swachh Survekshan.
Vijay, Chandigarh
Need for creating more awareness
The MC’s decision to challan people for not segregating four types of waste is hasty and uncalled for. It should first hold an awareness campaign and also distribute properly designed bins among residents free of cost. NGOs and other social organisations should be involved in this campaign to make our city clean and green. Further, the MC should hold demonstrations on garbage segregation in each ward, rather than challenging residents.
Col TBS Bedi, Mohali
A welcome decision
It is a heartening decision because by adopting this policy, the MC will kill two birds with one stone. This drive will be a way to generate awareness among the public and will also help in the city getting rid of mountains of garbage.
JS Saini, Mohali
Confusion over waste classification
Residents are not yet ready to segregate four types of waste. There is still confusion about the classification of dry and wet waste. In such a situation, issuing challans for not segregating sanitary and dangerous domestic waste is unjustified. The MC should generate more awareness among the public via a door-to-door campaign as well as print and electronic media.
Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali
Convene meeting of stakeholders
Though it is a good decision, I feel, the city is not yet ready for challans for non-segregation of four types of waste. The MC should convene a meeting of all stakeholders and RWAs and launch an awareness before going ahead with challaning violators. Authority doesn’t come from the loudest voice but the wisest.
Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula
Make proper arrangements
Segregating waste as dry, wet, sanitary and dangerous is a good idea. Nevertheless, there ought to be a one-week time for creating awareness and making proper arrangements for such disposal of waste. Subsequently, they can make it mandatory as well as challan violators.
Saanvi Shriya, Chandigarh
Sensitise residents to segregation
Though the idea of segregating four types of waste seems to be very logical, residents are yet not prepared for the same. There needs to be a large-scale awareness campaign before issuing challans. Waste in most cases is handled by maids or domestic help, who do not have the kind of training to segregate it. The MC should engage volunteers to sensitise residents to the importance of segregating waste and to the method to do so. In schools, waste segregation should be a part of the curriculum right from the nursery level. Local politicians and bureaucrats should be assigned month-wise goals to make the project a success.
Yash Khetarpal, Panchkula
Hold awareness camps in sectors
The MC authorities must launch a scheme to incentivise residents and institutions for having bio-compost units. Public participation in garbage collection and disposal is a big factor, which must be encouraged by the authorities. Every citizen should be duty bound to segregate various types of waste. We all must contribute towards achieving the target of 100% disposal of waste to avoid the mountains of garbage. The MC should hold awareness camps in sectors on a regular basis. Once public awareness level is found to be satisfactory, the MC can go ahead with challaning violators.
Sanjay Chopra, Mohali
MC should review decision
Most citizens do know about the benefits of waste segregation, but they do not properly comply with the guidelines due to a lack of facilities. The MC should review its decision on challaning violators. Everyone knows that charity begins at home. All bureaucrats and politicians should start segregating their domestic garbage as dry, wet, sanitary and dangerous to motivate the general public. The authorities should understand the difficulties faced by residents and make available properly designed bins at subsidised rates.
Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali
Educate residents, train staff
Challans will burden residents already reeling under rising inflation. Has challaning put an end to use of one-time use plastic or improved the traffic situation. Sir, please don’t make Chandigarh a challaning city! Educate residents on the need for segregating and train the staff for a successful implementation of the rules. The MC should rope in RWAs to make residents cooperate in the implementation of the new segregation policy.
Col Balbir Singh Mathauda (retd)
Let residents get used to segregation
It will take, at least, three or four months to get used to segregating waste into four categories and after that the municipal corporation can start its challaning drive. As 50% population depends on domestic help to manage their household waste, they need to be trained to sort waste properly. The MC should hire people to make residents aware of proper segregation. Garbage collectors should inform the MC about violators so that the latter can be challaned.
Savita Kuthiala
Cooperate with civic body
People should welcome the decision and realise their responsibility towards cooperating with the MC in proper management of domestic waste. Inspectors do little to ensure regular cleaning by sanitation staff. Educating people on the importance of segregation of waste into four categories will help the MC to make the project successful.
Sukhwant Bhullar
Fine will instil fear among violators
The MC should create more awareness on waste segregation because most people are still not aware of dry, wet, sanitary and dangerous domestic waste. Welfare associations and market associations must focus on houses from where the non-segregated garbage is still being collected. Record of every collection vehicle coming to the MRF facility should be maintained. These vehicles must stop for adequate time for residents to hand over their segregate garbage to staff. Instead of slapping a fine, the civic body should issue warnings.
Anita K Tandon, Mundi Kharar
Penalty should be reasonable
The City Beautiful is ready for this penalty as there is already so much awareness about segregation of garbage into four categories of dry, wet, sanitary and dangerous domestic waste. The step will help make the environment clean. However, the penalty should be of a reasonable amount.
Adish Sood, Amloh
Defer move to challan violators
The MC has introduced the segregation of two more types of domestic garbage, domestic hazardous in black bin and sanitary waste in red box. No large-scale awareness has been created in this regard by the authorities. Most residents are not aware of the additional two types of waste for segregation. They need to be sensitised about it. The decision of the MC to issue challans without much awareness is ill-conceived, and must be deferred.
RPS Chopra, Chandigarh
Educate citizens on composting
The simple step of putting edible kitchen waste in a separate dustbin with four or five holes and covering it with a sheet or wooden block will start the process of composting in a month. By recycling such waste generated by a family of four or five can reduce the city waste significantly every year. Educating citizens on composting would help to build a green and clean Chandigarh. Before challaning the citizens, the MC must start with sensitising them to the benefits of waste segregation.
Charu Malhotra, Mohali
Hold street plays on segregation
Until recently, most residents have been segregating garbage into wet and dry waste. Most residents are not aware of the segregation of sanitary and dangerous domestic trash. Residents should be provided with properly designed bins to segregate the four types of waste. Awareness needs to be created through street plays, text messages, social activities and RWAs. The MC can go ahead with challaning violators only after he four types of dustbins are installed in all parts of the city.
Saikrit Gulati, Chandigarh
Not right time for starting drive
The MC will soon start issuing challans for non-segregation of four types of garbage. It is not the right time to start the challan drive as there is a lack of awareness among residents. More and more people should be made aware of proper segregation of waste through awareness camps and lectures. After that, four types of dustbins should be put in place and violators penalised.
Vivan Gupta, Panchkula
Challans will cause resentment
Imposing penalty is not a solution to every problem. The MC should encourage households to segregate their waste properly and provide service accordingly. Imposing fine will increase resentment among residents. Sometimes, waste gets mixed by mistake. However, wilful defaulters should be punished. Develop the culture of segregation among public before starting the challan drive.
Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh
Will not bring about dramatic change
Garbage segregation is a big issue in all major cities, including Chandigarh. The decision of the MC to challan violators is not going to bring about any dramatic change in the habit of people. The MC should first educate the residents on the advantages of segregating domestic garbage. Most residents still feel that segregating garbage is the responsibility of the MC staff. The MC must rope in volunteers, students and NCC cadets to spread awareness by way of public announcements and street plays.
Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh
QUESTION
The Chandigarh Administration has decided to levy facilitation charge of Rs 25 for depositing electricity or water bill, among 18 services, at Sampark Centres from January 1. Should the residents pay the extra money above and over the bill or the departments concerned bear the charges?
Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com
