UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit on Monday finalised the construction and demolition waste policy. Certain amendments were made in the policy after discussion.
The detailed draft of the policy will be out only by Tuesday afternoon.
UT Adviser Dharam Pal told The Indian Express, “Yes, the construction and demolition waste policy has been finalised. We have given the go-ahead to it after deliberations. After discussions, we have made certain amendments like the registration point has been removed.”
It was mentioned in the earlier draft that only registered contractors can bring the malba to the plant. The Adviser stated that in the policy now, a toll-free number would be launched wherein any person can give a call and ask the person concerned to get the malba lifted. “Any resident can call and get the malba lifted. Any truck can be hired or sent in by the corporation to lift the malba,” the UT Adviser said.
As per the policy, construction and demolition waste means the waste comprising building materials, debris and rubble resulting from construction, remodelling, repair and demolition of any structure.
The new policy also makes it incumbent upon the house/building owner to transport the malba only through dump trucks. “He should be allowed to do through his rehri, rehra, horse cart or even jeep or chotta hathi. But they are only allowing the huge dump trucks and it will be difficult for everyone, especially those with not little malba,” he said.
In case of illegal dumping of C&D waste, transporters/generators will be challaned at the rate of Rs 5,500 per vehicle for dumping the unprocessed waste.
The new policy defines a waste generator as any person or association of persons or institution, residential and commercial establishments — including Indian Railways, airport, defence establishments — that undertake the construction of or demolition of any civil structure which generate construction and demolition waste. The policy defines bulk waste generators as people or groups or institutions, residential and commercial establishments who undertake the construction of or demolition of any civil structure which generate construction and demolition waste of more than 20 tonnes in a day or 300 tonnes or more per project in a month. The policy defines construction and demolition waste as “waste generated from building material, debris and rubble resulting from construction, remodelling, repair, and demolition of any structure”.
The policy also mentions that all government departments — such as Chandigarh civic body, UT engineering department, Chandigarh Housing Board, and other boards/corporations/undertakings in the city — were to ensure that all contractors and maintenance staff use processed material as well as its byproducts made from recycled aggregates, such as kerbs, channels, pavement tile/paver for their works allotted to contractors by including the requisite conditions in tender documents.
However, in the case of the unavailability of processed materials at a C&D plant, a unavailability certificate is to be obtained before purchasing material from the open market.
The aim of the new policy, officials said, was to ensure implementation of the C&D Waste Management Rules, 2016, issued by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and levy fines to enforce laws, penalties for reuse of recycled/processed waste to save mining and environment.