MCD will set up 100 waste collection points in Delhi to combat pollution

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is setting up 100 waste collection points in the national capital to combat pollution, officials said on Saturday.

While 35 of them are already operational in different zones, sites have been identified for another 49 locations, the MCD said in a statement.

According to reports, construction activity is a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi.

“To address this problem, the MCD, in collaboration with A-PAG and C&D (construction and demolition) concessionaires, has set up debris collection points in the Delhi region,” the statement said.

In the initial phase, the MCD conducted a pilot project in 10 wards of the West Zone, setting up three dedicated collection sites. This initiative delivered “remarkable results” and showed a significant 46 percent reduction in illegal dumping of debris, the statement said.

To supplement this, the MCD is currently setting up nearly 100 collection points, officials said.

The initiative to establish more collection points in the city for effective management of construction and demolition waste is progressing rapidly, the MCD said.

The sites are equipped with safeguards such as 3.5-metre profiled plates, sprinklers, anti-smog guns and LED signs to ensure responsible disposal, the report said.

At these locations in each neighborhood, citizens can dump up to 20 tons of waste every day. They can also contact the B&S factory concessionaire through a waste collection helpline.

To ensure proper collection of waste and check its illegal dumping on the roadside, civic bodies regularly “actively” conduct awareness activities for citizens and sensitization training for waste transporters, the MCD said.

So far, 400 training courses have been conducted and almost 100 waste collectors have been sensitized. The MCD is taking a “proactive approach to curb illegal dumping of debris by imposing fines on transporters engaged in unauthorized disposal along roadsides, water drains and other prohibited areas,” it added.

Citizens who engage in construction activities without taking necessary safety measures or neglecting proper disposal of construction and demolition waste at the designated collection point are also at risk of being fined, the MCD said.

Respective deputy commissioners shall review the status of construction and demolition waste and collection sites in their zones on a fortnightly basis, the report said.

First print: February 3, 2024 | 11:16 PM IST