The plant is one of its kind and will pave way for making Chandigarh the first city in the country to implement the provisions of Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2000. With the functioning of the plant, the residents of nearby areas will be relieved of the foul smell emanating from the dumping ground.

In the processing plant, the entire municipal solid waste will be processed, leaving just 10-15 per cent of inert material. Besides, it will also extend the life of the existing dumping ground by around 10 times, which in turn will solve the major problem of searching for a new landfill site, said Dr G C Bansal, Medical Health Officer of Municipal Corporation Chandigarh.

“Once the plant begins to function, it will help control the menace of flies and other disease-carrying pests and put an end to the leechate generated,” he said, adding that the plant is designed to tackle the entire municipal solid waste generated in the city.

Bansal also explained the process of conversion of municipal solid waste into refuse-derived fluff to Mayor Pardeep Chhabra, councillors and senior MC officials who visited the project site today. The MC team also visited the dumping ground where work regarding capping, covering and closing of existing landfill site and development of sanitary landfill is in progress.