Gurgaon, June 15, 2024 — The termination of the contract with waste concessionaire Ecogreen Energy by the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) has led to a severe sanitation crisis, with garbage piling up across various sectors in the city. The situation has exacerbated existing issues of construction waste, water shortages, and infrastructure deficits, leaving residents grappling with deteriorating living conditions.
Sanitation Services in Disarray
Sanitation services have been in limbo since December 2023, when MCG served a termination notice to Ecogreen Energy. While awaiting government approval to officially end the contract and hire new agencies, door-to-door waste collection has come to a halt in several areas, including Suncity, Sushant Lok-2 and 3, and sectors 9, 9A, 22, and 23. Residents have been forced to privately fund waste management services to cope with the accumulating garbage.
Vijay Shiv Nath, president of Malibu Towne RWA, highlighted the inadequate workforce for sanitation. “When MCG took over the colony in June 2022, we were hopeful that services would improve. But it has only worsened,” Nath said. He noted that the current workforce is insufficient, forcing the community to hire private vendors for waste collection.
MCG joint commissioner for Swachh Bharat Mission, Naresh Kumar, stated that the tender process to streamline waste management is underway, with plans to hire two agencies for secondary waste collection and four for primary waste collection.
Construction Waste Crisis
The city generates approximately 2,000 tonnes of construction and demolition (C&D) waste daily, overwhelming the Basai processing plant, which can handle only 300 tonnes per day. The remainder, about 1,700 tonnes, ends up on roadsides. Complaints from residents like Rahul Gupta of Saraswati Kunj about unauthorized dumping have gone unaddressed, further complicating the city’s waste management challenges.
The corporation recently scrapped a tender for door-to-door C&D waste collection due to procedural issues, and a new proposal to increase the Basai plant’s capacity to 1,000 tonnes per day is still awaiting approval.
Water Shortages Amid Heatwaves
Amidst successive heatwaves, Gurgaon faces severe water shortages. Residents in several areas now depend on private tankers for water. Lalit Suraj Bhola, general secretary of Sector 9A RWA, attributed the crisis to unauthorized colonies puncturing master water lines, thereby affecting planned colonies’ supply.
The city’s demand during peak summer weeks reaches 675 million litres per day (MLD), while the two filtration plants at Basai and Chandu Budhera can process only 570 MLD. Senior officials from MCG and GMDA have acknowledged the infrastructural shortcomings and are working on solutions, including constructing two new 100 MLD units at Chandu Budhera WTP.
Calls for Accountability and Immediate Action
Residents and activists are calling for greater accountability and swift action to address these pressing issues. Ruchika Sethi Takkar, founder of the Citizens for Clean Air initiative, emphasized the need for effective waste management and infrastructural improvements to restore Gurgaon’s living conditions.
MCG officials have assured that steps are being taken to improve the situation, including surveying the city for infrastructure shortcomings and coordinating with DHBVN to ensure continuous power supply to water treatment plants.
As Gurgaon grapples with these challenges, the urgency for comprehensive solutions and efficient implementation has never been greater. The city’s administration faces the critical task of restoring sanitation, managing waste, and ensuring reliable water supply to uphold the quality of life for its residents.
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