SMC Faces Dilemma Ahead of PM’s Visit for Surat Diamond Bourse Inauguration

Surat : The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) is currently embroiled in a critical predicament as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit for the inauguration of the Surat Diamond Bourse (SDB) draws near.

The State Government has issued an ultimatum for the clearance of waste accumulated at the Khajod disposal site, situated in close proximity to the SDB project. However, the alternative waste disposal site allocated at Uber village in Surat by the State Government remains non-operational due to pending environment and Coastal Regulator Zone (CRZ) clearance certificates.

The Khajod waste disposal site, visibly aging and starkly visible from the upper floors of the Surat Diamond Bourse, has become the primary dumping ground for the city’s daily waste production of 2500 tonnes. Presently, it stands as the sole location for waste disposal in Surat.

To address the issue, the SMC has identified a vast 3.40 lakh square meter area in Uber, near Sachin, intended for the establishment of a new solid waste disposal plant. The estimated cost for setting up this site is approximately Rs. 90 crore. The proposal for this site’s development has been presented in the Health committee meeting of SMC. Once operational, this new site is designed to handle and process a daily influx of 3500 tonnes of waste. However, securing the Coastal Regulator Zone (CRZ) clearance certificate remains a crucial hurdle in the establishment of the new disposal site.

The State government has allocated the new site at Uber, and the State’s Forest and Environment department is expected to provide the Term of Reference to kickstart the procedures necessary for setting up the new waste disposal location. The site is envisioned to be a sanitary landfill, equipped with essential amenities such as connecting roads, parking facilities, a workshop, office building, and a weighing scale, among other essential provisions.

The imminent grand inauguration of the Surat Diamond Bourse, deemed as the world’s largest office building located in Khajod, on December 17, intensifies the pressure on the Surat Municipal Corporation.

Lingering repercussions from the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) 2017 order to close the Khajod disposal site persist, complicating the management of approximately 1.50 lakh metric tonnes of accumulated solid waste. Astonishingly, the site has seen over 50 lakh metric tonnes of waste dumped since 2002.

Moreover, the present waste disposal site at Khajod spans a mere 61.2 hectares, emphasizing the urgent need for an alternative and efficient waste management solution to cater to Surat’s burgeoning waste output.