The district administration and Municipal Corporation Patiala have extended August 30 as the last date for implementing Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 in Patiala. After this day, the Municipal Corporation Patiala or local bodies department will not pick garbage of units producing large amounts of waste including government and non government departments, educational institutes, hotels, palaces, religious organizations etc. These institutions will have to make their own arrangements for solid waste management and those not abiding by the rules will be challaned after from September 1.Deputy Commissioner Mr Kumar Amit stated that if the government departments or organizations do not manage their own garbage, the head of department or organization will be penalized and penalty would be deducted from his or her salary.Presiding over a meeting-cum-workshop of the Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company the Deputy Commissioner stated that we were not to pass on garbage as heirloom to our future generations. Rather we will have to effectively manage garbage. He called upon each and every citizen including the residents' welfare associations of the residential colonies to take it up seriously so that government's target of reducing waste by 25 percent can be met with.Giving example of Municipal Corporation Jalandhar, Mr Kumar Amit stated that at Jalandhar a dhaba-cum-hotel was slapped fine of Rs 14 lacs for violating the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules. He suggested that instead of facing such penalties, people should start managing their garbage on their own. He appealed people to support and participate in Punjab government's campaign named My Garbage, I Will Manage.
During the workshop PMIDC state project director Mr Puran Singh Yadav gave information about solid waste management and said that we will have to segregate garbage into non-biodegradable and biodegradable categories at the level of production only and stop using plastic bags. He also called upon for preparing a plan under which the disease causing garbage can be turned into income generator. Stating examples of other districts in country he said that Patiala too could be cleaned and made garbage free. He suggested using pit compost method for making compost out of kitchen waste. He said that the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal have made it mandatory to manage 100 percent garbage and that solid waste management task force be constituted for it. Municipal Commissioner Mr Gurpreet Singh Khaira stated that a list of those is being prepared that generate 100 kg or more garbage. He added that emphasis is being laid on waste management, lesser generation and on the source segregation. He added that Municipal Corporation was ready to sell 10 tonnes of compost made in its own parks.Also the municipal corporation will be constructing a material recovery facility for every two wards. He presented examples of Maharaja Yadwindra Singh Enclave from where 95 tonnes of garbage was managed in one and a half year.Municipal councillor Gopal Singla and resident’s welfare society president Daljit SIngh Dullet said that they will immediately implement solid waste management in their area. During the meeting the other participants also gave suggestions.ADC G Mr Showqat Ahmed Parrey, Assistant Commissioner (UT) Mr T Benith, Joint Municipal Commissioner Harkirat Kaur, newly appointed IAS Miss Ritika, PPCB XEN Lavneet Dubey and others were present.