Compactors nearly installed, but waste segregation remains a challenge for MC

Time of India

02-05-2025

Ludhiana: The installation of
static compactors
at select locations is nearly complete, but 100%
waste segregation
remains a challenge for the civic body. This renders the compactors useless as waste needs to be segregated before being sent to the processing sites.
The problem stems from the fact that the number of secondary
garbage collection points
has decreased from 50 to 22. The secondary garbage collection points are locations where waste collected from smaller, localised areas (primary collection) is transferred to larger vehicles or transfer stations, ultimately leading to the final disposal or treatment. They act as a link between the initial waste collection and the final destination. The secondary centres are primarily responsible for the segregation of waste as well.
In June 2022, the technical committee of
Ludhiana Smart City Mission
approved a proposal to purchase compactors for 22 secondary garbage collection points. It took some time to get the clearance for the detailed project report, delaying the installation of the machinery. Cut to 2025, the installation of only one compactor, at the Books market, is pending due to technical reasons.
Before compactors were installed, there were more than 50 secondary garbage collection points in the city. Garbage remained littered everywhere, and in some places, it would cover half the road. Gradually, the number of garbage sites has decreased. Two sites from the national highway are also being relocated to places where compactors are installed. One site has been shifted from Lajpat Nagar near Pakhowal Road.
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However, some leaders have objected to the closure of the garbage collection sites haphazardly as they fear it will lead to dumping of waste inside the colonies. They argue that this will also make it difficult for the garbage collectors to take the garbage to far-off places.
Making matters worse, after garbage started being sent to the processing sites, a private firm responsible for waste collection withdrew from the job. This is because the company that installed the compactors was given the responsibility of transporting the garbage to the main dumping site at Jamalpur. Civic officials claimed that at some locations, garbage collectors are opposed to the shifting of dumping sites and the segregation of waste. The civic body is trying to convince them to segregate the waste before bringing them to the compactors.
On Friday, an issue arose in zone C where garbage collectors were called for a meeting by MC officials in the presence of MLA Kulwant Sidhu and deputy mayor Prince Johar. They urged the garbage collectors to focus on source segregation to ensure proper waste collection, to which the garbage collectors are said to have given their consent.
MC commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal admitted that 100% source segregation has not been achieved, but that they were working towards it. He said the installation of the compactors is near completion, except for a few sites.