Panchkula: Despite spending about Rs 3 crore, the Panchkula municipal corporation’s only and first material recovery facility (MRF) has ceased to function.Either due to residents or political pressure, the civic body is now using the city’s only MRF as a mere transfer station in Alipur. Further, it is considering shifting the facility to other location and will be taking up the matter with the state government.This was confirmed by MC commissioner Vinay Kumar during the House meeting on Tuesday. “The objections to the MRF were made after it was constructed and we had already spent over Rs 2.5 crore. We were further going to procure Rs 2 cr machine for the facility, but are not doing it now after concerns were raised. At the MRF, sorting of garbage is done. But, now it is only used as a transfer station not as MRF,” shared the MC chief.Area councillor Rohit Choudhary has requested the MC officials to shift it stating that it caused foul smell and was an irritant for the residents near Alipur. Following this, the commissioner said since a substantial amount had already been spent, nothing much could be done further. However, he said, if the MC house so desired, he would raise the MRF shifting issue with the state government.As per MC officials, the MRF has a dedicated space for segregation, sorting, and handling of recyclable materials. It is designed to sort, recover, and process recyclable dry waste such as plastic, paper and cardboard, glass, metals (aluminium, steel), tetra packs, and packaging materials. These materials are separated manually and/or mechanically into different categories for recycling.The MRF, which had missed several deadlines, was conceived as a key step towards scientific waste management in Panchkula, where daily waste generation has crossed 200 metric tonnes. It was thrown open this year. Dumping of waste at the temporary Jhuriwala site completely stopped following the operationalisation of this facility as the garbage is now shifted here before further shifted to Ambala for processing.It was the first and only MRF in Panchkula. It is further going to impact solid waste management in the city. Unlike Panchkula, neighbouring Chandigarh has been operating three MRFs at three different locations. The new development is also expected to impact the scoring of the corporation in the annual Swachhata Survekshan.
