Submissions by DGM Project Punjab Mandi Board on disposal of vegetable waste from Ludhiana mandi, 14/01/2025
Submissions by DGM Project Punjab Mandi Board in the matter of Kapil Dev & Others Vs State of Punjab & Others dated January 14, 2025.
All possible efforts were being made by the Punjab Mandi Board to comply with the NGT guidelines and to dispose of the vegetable waste of the Ludhiana vegetable market as per the Solid Waste Management Rules. This was stated in the report filed by the Punjab Mandi Board. The report of January 2025 was uploaded to the NGT site, March 13, 2025.
The Punjab Mandi Board vide letter dated January 9, 2024 submitted its response to Punjab Pollution Control Board detailing the actions taken by the Market Committee, Ludhiana. With respect to waste disposal, agreement was entered into for installation of a compactor at the new vegetable market, Ludhiana for disposal of the waste. The board has provided land to the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana for instalment of the compactor. Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana has started the work of installation of the compactor. The building is almost ready. As per an agreement, market committee, Ludhiana will provide segregated waste to the compactor site and the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana will dispose of the waste as per the solid waste management rules.
With respect to cleaning and garbage collection the contractor responsible collects garbage at a designated place in the evening after cleaning the market and garbage is lifted at night so as not to cause inconvenience to the public in the morning. Contractor is obliged to dispose of the garbage away from the vegetable market. There is no dumping site near the colonies adjoining the vegetable market. The estimated volume of waste in the vegetable market is approximately 10182.60 cubic metre which corresponds to about 2050 trolleys of waste.
As regards ban on plastic bags, action has been taken by the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana in collaboration with the staff of the market committee including imposing fines on violators. Punjab Mandi Board is running a pilot project for construction of bricks from mandi waste and upon its success, will be implemented in Ludhiana.