Freebie: Hardicon to manage Chandigarh’s growing horticulture waste

Chandigarh: Chandigarh will soon get a horticulture waste processing plant with the help of a public sector undertaking (PSU), Hardicon. The general council of the municipal corporation, Chandigarh, gave its nod on Wednesday to take help from Hardicon. The company will establish the plant with a capacity of 60 tonnes per day, operating eight hours a day. The civic body will not have to spend even a single penny. Hardicon will bear all the expenses, such as establishment, operation, maintenance, electricity, water, and labour costs.

Municipal Commissioner Amit Kumar, while presenting the agenda, said the entire cost and responsibility for running the plant will be taken care of by Hardicon. The only support the MC will provide is land for the plant at a nominal rate of Re 1 per acre per month. The land will be given for 10 years, and the agreement can be extended twice for five years each, based on performance.

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The processed material from the plant will belong to Hardicon, and the company will also be responsible for meeting all legal and environmental standards. The MC will help Hardicon get utility connections like water and electricity, though the costs for these will be paid by Hardicon.

The civic body of Chandigarh will appoint a nodal officer for the smooth operation of the plant. The municipal corporation makes sure that horticulture waste is collected and delivered to the plant every day. The partnership between the company and the civic body is likely to be very effective for handling the city’s increasing horticulture waste.