With the stern actions taken by MC, the waste generation in the city has gone down from around 200 tonnes per day to 74 tonnes. Before this, for years, MC’s 14 resource management centres (RMCs) had been tackling the 200 tonnes of garbage daily — a significant portion of which came from GMADA areas — processing most and dumping the rest at the Phase 8-B dumping ground.

The MC teams had earlier in March issued notices to the societies and bulk waste generators, where compost units were found unmaintained, including civil hospital, PUDA Bhawan, Phase 8, Phase-1 dispensary and Mohali Golf Range, Phase 11, besides private schools and hotels. After most of these societies and bulk waste generators did not comply with the directions, MC has now again issued them non-compliance notices, along with the warning of imposing a ₹5,000 fine every day.

Bulk waste generators have been asked to segregate waste generated into three separated streams, including biodegradable (wet waste), non-biodegradable (dry waste) and domestic hazardous waste/e-waste, in suitable bins or containers.

“While a few housing societies have already started managing their waste, many bulk waste generators have also maintained their compost units. The city is now generating around 94 tonnes daily waste, including 20 tonnes from garbage vulnerable points, but since we are not taking waste from societies and bulk waste generators, around 74 tonnes waste is getting processed at our RMCs daily now. We will rigorously start challaning people throwing garbage outside their societies instead of processing it inside their complex,” a senior MC officer said.

Amid the deepening garbage collection crisis in the city, MC has issued a total of 47 challans against residents not segregating their waste, shopkeepers selling plastic, littering, construction and demolition waste, besides fining garbage collectors dumping non-segregated garbage at the RMCs in the city, collecting ₹81,250 in fine.

“We are in the process of managing our waste. Due to the closure of the dump site, things have become difficult for us but things are getting back to normal as the waste is getting segregated more effectively now,” MC commissioner Navjot Kaur said.

Following high court directives, the primary dumping ground at Phase 8B, Industrial Area, has been closed since June 18, throwing the city’s waste management system into disarray. Consequently, the city’s daily waste, in its entirety, is being dumped at MC 14 RMCs, causing garbage to overflow onto roads. MC officials said the garbage collectors from GMADA areas were sneaking into the city in the wee hours and dumping waste.