GreNo: Ecovillage-3 in dilemma as garbage pile rots in complex

The basements of Supertech’s Ecovillage 3 in Greater Noida’s Sector 16B have been converted into garbage dump yard by the society’s maintenance ever since the Greater Noida authority strictly enforced the rules on mandatory installation of waste management plant in all housing societies. 

Following authority's cleanliness drive, 'SwachhataHiSewa' across the city, the management of Ecovillage 3 was forced to keep the waste of the society within its premises. This has resulted in the piling of the garbage in the basement making the lives of the residents miserable with foul stench.

As per the rules, it is a must for a housing society to have sewer treatment plant (STP) and a waste management plant (WMP) within its complex as a precondition to avail completion or occupancy certificates.

Mritunjay Jha, a resident, said, "We are facing enormous hardship after the authority imposed restriction on garbage dumping. Earlier, maintenance staff used to take away the waste outside the society in trucks as there is no waste management plant inside the society. They can no longer do so." 

The residents complain that the unbearably foul smell emaning from the waste lying around for nearly two weeks now. They fear the dump could lead to severe health issues as it might cause outbreak of vector-borne diseases. , They alleged despite several respresentation, the management has not taken initiated any action to resolve the issue.

Even asdoor-to-door garbage collection is carried out everyday, the society has no provision for segregation of waste. More than 500 families live in the society with 80 families alone in tower A10 where the garbage is piled up. Notably, Ecovillage 3 has one of the highest maintenance charge of Rs 2 per square fot in Greater Noida with a maintenance staff strength of 50. Yet, the residents are forced to live in unhygienic conditions.

The Health Department on Tuesday conducted several raids on two housing societies in the Greater Noida for not taking care of waste disposal. The Arihant society in GH07 A Sector 1 was fined Rs 26,200, for not segregating waste, failure to deal with sanitary waste, and lack of proper management for the bulk waste. Supertech's Ecovillage 2 was fined of Rs 25,000 for failure to deal with bulk waste.

The Greater Noida authority has introduced penalty of Rs 25,000 on bulk waste management on a society with more than 1,000 flats.