Chandigarh, Feb 18: The Union Government has sanctioned a central share of ₹28.50 crore to support the remediation of legacy waste at the Dadumajra dumpsite in Chandigarh. This funding is part of a larger ₹42.18 crore project aimed at clearing 7.67 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of refuse under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 framework.
In a formal response to a parliamentary inquiry, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu stated that 5.10 lakh MT of waste has already been successfully remediated. The Minister further noted that an additional 55,000 MT is currently undergoing processing as part of the ongoing environmental cleanup efforts.
“Sanitation is a state subject and the primary responsibility lies with the urban local bodies,” Sahu declared, clarifying the jurisdictional roles between the Centre and the Union Territory administration.
The approved plan includes the development of a ‘Waste-to-energy project’ alongside facilities for composting, material recovery, and bio-methanation. These initiatives are designed to help the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation achieve total scientific processing of municipal solid waste.
Member of Parliament Manish Tewari, who raised the issue in the Lok Sabha, affirmed that the project appears to be moving forward following his repeated interventions. However, Tewari also maintained that significant challenges remain, including delays in workers’ wages and the need for stronger enforcement against the private concessionaire managing the site.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs reaffirmed its commitment to providing financial assistance to states and UTs for sustainable waste management, even as local authorities manage the day-to-day execution.
