Housing Society Waste Management

Office bearers of large housing societies may now face prosecution for not treating their wet waste. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) will be lodging cases against such defaulters. This will be followed by asking local bodies to cut water supply to the society by 20 per cent.

“We have taken a policy decision that office bearers of large housing societies that have not installed organic waste composters (OWCs) or are not treating wet waste will be prosecuted,” a senior MPCB official.

“We are insisting that housing societies with a built up area of over 2 lakh square feet, which require environment clearances, must segregate and treat wet waste by converting it into compost,” he added, stating that they were conducting a survey of such premises.

The official added that later, local bodies such as the BMC, would be issued instructions to initially reduce the quantum of water supply by 20 per cent. Notices have also been issued to housing societies in Mumbai and Pune.

Another MPCB official said that based on a list provided by the BMC, they had sent notices to around 80 large housing societies in Mumbai for not establishing facilities to treat wet waste. “Many of these bulk generators have given undertakings about establishing OWCs,” he added.

“We can take action against office bearers against the relevant sections of the Solid Waste Management (SWM) rules, 2016, for non-compliance. The quantum of the penalty on these waste generators will be decided by the court,” the official explained.

Building projects of an over 20,000 sqm area are given environmental clearances with a condition that all solid waste should be processed in the premises.

BMC officials admit that though the state had issued guidelines under which premises over 5,000 square meters are to treat their own wet waste for the occupation certificate to be issued, it was found that these spaces were being used for purposes such as parking.

Under the SWM rules, all gated communities and institutions with an over 5,000 square meters area shall segregate waste and source and process, treat and dispose off bio-degradable waste through composting or biomethanation within the premises as much as possible.

It defines bulk generators as buildings occupied by the Central and State government or local body departments or undertakings, public sector undertakings, private companies, hospitals, educational institutions, hotels, commercial establishments, markets, places of worship, stadiums and sports complexes with an average daily waste generation rate exceeding 100 kg.

The Mulund, Deonar and Kanjurmarg dumping grounds see around 7,300 metric tons of garbage being dumped there daily. Processing of wet garbage at source will reduce the waste being dumped there.

WASTE MANAGEMENT 

Under SWM rules, all gated communities with an over 5,000 sqm area shall segregate waste, treat and dispose off bio-degradable waste through composting or biomethanation within the premises

Source: DNA, 25-Feb-2018