- Decisions were taken to strengthen monitoring, action, and plastic management infrastructure in a meeting chaired by Municipal Corporation Gurugram Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya
Gurugram : An important city-level task force meeting was held under the chairmanship of Municipal Corporation Gurugram Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya, in which several important decisions were taken regarding the ban on single-use plastic in the district, control of open burning of garbage, and strengthening the solid waste management system. Additional Municipal Commissioner Ravindra Yadav, along with officials from various municipal bodies, the Pollution Control Board, and the police, participated in the meeting.
Need for Assistant Sanitation Inspectors Discussed
Instructions were given to assess the need for Assistant Sanitation Inspectors in the Municipal Council of Pataudi, Jatauli Mandi, Municipal Council of Sohna, and Municipal Council of Farrukhnagar and submit proposals. Officials were asked to submit staffing requirements based on ground requirements to improve sanitation.
Special Campaign in Banquet Halls and Hotspot Areas
A decision was made to identify major pollution sources in the city and implement special monitoring and action there. This will include special inspection campaigns in banquet halls, daily monitoring of pollution hotspots, and identification of open waste burning sites, where strict action will be taken. These campaigns will be jointly conducted by the Municipal Corporations of Gurugram and Manesar, the Municipal Councils of Pataudi, Jatauli, Mandi, and Sohna, the Municipal Council of Farrukhnagar, and the District Development and Panchayat Officer.
Strictness and Challans on Single-Use Plastics*
The meeting directed strict action against the use, storage, and sale of single-use plastics. Violators will be challaned, and extensive IEC activities will be conducted to create awareness. Officials were instructed to combine enforcement and awareness to achieve lasting change. The meeting directed that 10 awareness programs will be conducted monthly at the Municipal Corporation level, four at the Municipal Council level, and two at the Municipal Council level. Instructions were also given to expedite challan enforcement. They were also asked to submit an action report in the next meeting.
Focus on Waste Management Infrastructure in Rural Areas
To strengthen plastic waste management in rural areas, it was proposed to explore the possibility of establishing MRF centers and installing shredder machines at the block level. This responsibility has been assigned to the District Development and Panchayat Officer, Gurugram.
Police will also play an important role
Gurugram Police have been asked to maintain special vigilance and action to prevent illegal transportation of single-use plastic. Emphasis was placed on breaking the chain of plastic reaching the market by stopping it at the transportation level.
Emphasis on Plastic Recycling and Processing Units
The meeting emphasized compiling data on plastic recycling units, industrial composting units for compostable plastic, and waste-to-oil units operating in the district, and enhancing coordination with regional officers of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board.
Action in accordance with government guidelines
This task force is working within the framework established under the directives of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, with the aim of effectively implementing the Plastic Waste Management Rules and eliminating single-use plastic. Gurugram will now take a strict stance against single-use plastic, open burning, and negligence in waste management. The administration has made it clear that awareness will be intensified, as well as punitive action, to ensure that both the city and rural areas become pollution-free.
Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya stated that the campaign against single-use plastic will be implemented more strictly in Gurugram. He directed officials to conduct extensive public awareness campaigns along with enforcement actions to ensure citizens’ participation. Regular challans will be issued for those involved in open burning, use of banned plastic, and littering in public places. Daily monitoring of hotspot areas and special inspections of large events, including banquet halls, will also be conducted. To strengthen waste management in urban and rural areas, emphasis has been laid on better coordination between MRF centres, shredder machines and agencies, so that Gurugram can be made clean and pollution free.