GURGAON: The city generates around 2,000 tonnes of construction and demolition (C&D) waste daily but only about 300 tonnes is lifted and processed on an average. It is this remaining 1,700 tonnes that is lining up highways, especially the Gurgaon-Faridabad Road.On Friday, TOI found construction debris also dumped along roads in Sector 29, Chakkarpur, Ghata and Saraswati Kunj.A visit to the citys lone C&D plant in Basai revealed that it has suspended its operations for now due to restrictions underGRAP.Set up four years ago, the plant has the capacity of processing over 1,700 tonnes of C&D waste per day. The firm operating the plant, however, claimed that the civic body has authorised them to lift and process only 300 TPD, limiting their scope of work. Officials from the firm said they have enough space to store thousands of tonnes of C&D waste even though they arent allowed to process it at present under GRAP. The problem, they said, is that MCG is yet to allow them to lift all the C&D waste themselves or run at full capacity, which is resulting in heaps of the waste piled up along city roads and adding to pollution levels.We have been authorised to collect and process only 300 TPD of C&D waste, but we currently have the capacity for at least 1,700 TPD. If MCG gives us permission, we will lift all the citys debris and process it. While operations are currently suspended under GRAP, we have ample space to store the lifted C&D waste and can process it at full capacity once the curbs are lifted, if MCG allows us, said Dinesh Kumar, project manager at the Basai C&D waste plant.MCG, meanwhile, said they have already approved increasing the plants capacity to 1,000 TPD. When we signed the MoU with the firm in 2019, we originally had asked them to process 300 tonnes per day. It was soon enhanced to 1,000 TPD, a senior MCG official said.So whats the holdup? According to the corporation, they are awaiting the state governments approval. We have already written to the state government seeking approval to augment C&D waste processing. We transported around 500 TPD of C&D waste to the Basai plant as part of a cleanliness drive. We will ensure that C&D waste is lifted regularly and have already floated a tender to get another agency on board for its collection, MCG commissioner PC Meena told TOI. The tender has an estimated cost of Rs 8.5 crore.Former councillors, meanwhile, questioned the need for another agency for C&D waste management when there is already a firm and infrastructure that can be put to use. Construction waste has been piling up across the city. A private agency in charge of C&D waste collection cheated MCG of more than Rs 50 crore, but the corporation has neither completed its investigation in the case, nor disclosed any details about it. We dont want another fraud by another agency, said Kuldeep Yadav, former councillor.The firm running the Basai plant is willing to lift all C&D waste and process it too. Why does MCG want to wait and engage another agency instead of letting the current one do its job properly when the city is already reeling under high pollution levels? a councillor said.MCG, however, claimed a separate agency for C&D waste collection and enforcement will ensure better management. The new agency, after it is hired, will also be able to impose penalties if anyone is found illegally dumping C&D waste, an official said.

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