Workshop on MSW Management with focus on Chandigarh (3rd Nov. 2011)

A National Workshop on “Best Practices of Municipal Solid Waste Management in India (with focus on Chandigarh)” was organized on Nov. 3, 2011 at PEC University of Technology, Chandigarh with support of Chandigarh Administration and Municipal Corporation Chandigarh. The focus of the workshop was to discuss the best practices of MSW management in India and to make an attempt to identify solutions for the problems arising at various levels of management of municipal solid waste in Chandigarh

The experts who attended the workshop included Sh. P. U. Asnani (Chairman Urban Management Consultants Ahmedabad), Dr. A. B. Akolkar (Scientist Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi), Prof. Renu Bhargav (Professor, IIT Roorkee), Dr. A.K. Nema (IIT Delhi), Prof. Manoj Datta (Director PEC), Prof. R. K. Kohli (Chairman, Botany Department, Panjab University, Chandigarh), Sh. P.J.S. Dadwal (Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee) and Dr. N.B. Mazumdar (IL&FS, Delhi).

In his opening remarks, Shri. K. K. Sharma Adviser to the Administrator, who chaired the workshop expressed the need for having more effective and efficient MSW management system. During the workshop Municipal Corporation made a presentation on the present system of MSW management being practiced in the Chandigarh and also highlighted the critical issues being faced in this regard. The challenges of segregation of waste, daily lifting of garbage, foul smell emanating from garbage processing plant and management of the dumping ground were discussed. Representatives of Jaypee presented details of the waste processing plant.

Sh. Asnani in his presentation stressed the need for segregation at source and composting of the organic waste. Dr. A. B. Akolkar from CPCB stated that solution for MSW Management should be tailored to the need of the city. Dr. Nema spoke about the service level benchmarks for the monitoring of MSW management processes. Sh. P. J. S Dadwal highlighted the need for monitoring the emissions from the garbage processing plant. Prof. R. K. Kohli spoke about the importance of composting of the organic waste. Prof. Renu Bhargav shared her experience about segregation and vermicomposting. Dr. Mazumdar spoke about the management of construction and demolition waste. Prof. Manoj Datta highlighted the best practices in designing  and constructing  landfills. Sh. Satya Gopal Home Secretary, Chandigarh Administration. Sh. V. K. Singh Finance Secretary  and Secretary Technical Education, Chandigarh Administration, Sh. Brijendra Singh, DC Chandigarh, Ms. Prerna Puri, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Chandigarh participated in the proceedings and discussions at the workshop.

The experts gave their recommendations at the conclusion of the workshop.

The workshop was coordinated by Dr Shakti Arora and Dr. S.K. Singh under the guidance of Prof. N.P. Devgan, Head of Civil Engineering Department, PEC University of Technology, Chandigarh.