SPEECH OF HON’BLE GOVERNOR PUNJAB AND ADMINISTRATOR, UT CHANDIGARH, SHRI BANWAIRLAL PUROHIT ON THE OCCASION OF INAUGURATION OF HORTICULTURE WASTE PROCESSING PLANT, 3 BRD, CHANDIGARH ON JANUARY 10, 2023

I am happy to see that Chandigarh Administration is committed to 100% waste processing in the City .

The dedication of Municipal Corporation to solid waste management is clearly visible :-

  • 100% dry waste processing is starting from 1st December.
  • 100% sanitary waste and domestic hazardous waste processing has already started.
  • Floral waste is also being processed separately.
  • The wet waste processing capacity shall be complete in another 3 months.

As far as liquid waste is concerned, all 8 STPs are being upgraded and while 2 are already meeting norms, the remaining 6 shall be upgraded by February 2023.

Looking towards the future, an integrated plant for solid waste management which shall cater to the needs of the city for the next 25 years, is being set up. Premier technical institutes like NEERI and IIT Ropar are assisting in this task.

The process of bioremediation of legacy waste at dumping ground Daddumajra has already started and the older site shall be clear within a few months.

In the same mission, a Horticulture Waste Processing Plant has been conceptualised and operationalised today.

This Horticulture Waste Processing Plant having Capacity of 30 to 40 Ton per Day has been established by Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh. It will process the raw Horticulture Waste into Briquettes. The total project cost is Rs.3.50 Crores including cost of Operation & Maintenance (O&M) for 1 Year.

Ladies & Gentlemen,

The generation of horticulture waste is increasing day by day in the city. At present this horticulture waste is dumped at the Dumping Ground. With the commissioning the Horticulture Waste Processing Plant , the waste will be processed scientifically to produce briquettes and pallets. These can be used as an excellent combustible material termed as "Biocoal ".

Ek Panth Do Kaaj ! – The problem of accumulation of horticulture waste in the dumping ground or landfills is resolved and simultaneously biocoal is generated. The Municipal Corporation can generate additional revenue by selling the biocoal briquettes to various industrial units .

The Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh may also use the wooden briquettes as part of fuel wood for cremation purposes. The use for cremation purposes will save the fuel wood being purchased for the purpose.

Govt. of India, Ministry of Power, directs usage of 5 to 10% blend of horticulture waste briquettes/pallets with coal in Thermal Power Plants. The briquettes, thus made at this Horticulture Waste Processing Plant can be sold to various Industrial Units for usage as fuel in furnaces for heating, thus leading to compliance of the Government of India directions .

Friends,

Air and land pollution caused by burning of agri-residue is currently a major pain point in various parts of the country.

We also witness people casually burning the dry leaves and organic waste releasing toxic smoke into the air. Such activities generate smoke polluting the air, which spreads throughout the vicinity and adversely affects the breathing and visibility.

The Horticulture Waste Processing Plant will help reduce open dumping and burning of horticulture waste and will help bring down the carbon footprint by replacing fossil fuels with biomass briquettes .

Ladies & Gentlemen,

Environment plays a very significant role in human civilization . Human beings have close relations with the biosphere in which they live. The whole environment and ecology consisting of earth, air, water, plants and animals provide the necessary and sufficient conditions for sustaining human life.

Today, the environmental crisis is a tremendous problem for the whole world. Developing countries and developed countries alike are all suffering from environmental pollution . Therefore, today environmental problems have been the object of discussion everywhere from village to parliament .

Pollution is by far the most rapidly growing problem of the modern technology society.

The Indians Saints prescribed acts for avoiding environmental pollution.Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji said that Pawan Guru, Paani Pita, Mata Dharat Mahat: Air is Guru, Water is Father, and Earth is the Great mother of all

बन्धुओं,

वायु, अग्नि, जल, पृथ्वी, आकाश ये सृष्टि के आधारभूत पंच महातत्व हैं। इनमें वायु का महत्त्वपूर्ण स्थान है। अथर्ववेद में वायु को प्राण कहा है। प्राणशक्ति प्रदान करने वाला वायु है। यह वायु पिता के समान पालक, बन्धु के समान धारक, पोषक औरमित्रवत सुख देने वाला है। यह जीवन देता है। वायु अमरत्व की निधि है।

संहिताओं में कहा गया है कि यदि अन्तरिक्ष को प्रदूषण से मुक्त करके शान्ति की कामना करते हो तोसर्वप्रथम वायु को प्रदूषणरहित करके, उसकी शान्ति अत्यावश्यक है।

ऋग्वेद का ऋषि कामना करता है कि प्रदूषण मुक्त कल्याणकारी वायु मेरे चारों ओर बहे। वायु सब औषधियों, वनस्पतियों और प्राणियों का राजा है क्योंकि जैसे कोई कृषक फलने और फूलने के लिये यव (जौ) आदि को जल से सींचता है, वैसे इसके कारण उत्पन्न वर्षा सम्पूर्ण भूमि को तर करती है।

There are many hymns seeking the blessings of the five elements or the pancha mahabhoota of Nature: aakaash, vayu, agni, jal and prithvi. People were careful to refrain from activities that could cause harm to Nature’s bounties. It was understood that the well-being of Mother Earth depended on the preservation and sustenance of the environment.

Ladies & Gentlemen,

Each of us has the right to lead a healthy, happy and productive life . This right is breached, especially in our cities, where pollution has reached alarming levels. Multiple strategies and action at various levels is necessary to address pollution.

Apart from creating lung spaces and green cover, we must encourage people to be eco-sensitive. Innovative solutions of urban planning, use of clean energy etc all call for active participation of all stakeholders. Permanence of such changes can be ensured only if people own these changes.

Due to our dedicated efforts people of the City, Chandigarh has risen from 66th rank in the Swacchta Sarvekshan of 2020 to 12th in 2021 among 1 lac plus cities.

Let our goal be to ensure that Chandigarh is a dumping ground free city .

Thank you,

Jai Hind.