Uttarakhand to get 1st construction waste processing plant in Dehradun

Dehradun: Uttarakhand’s first construction and demolition waste processing plant is set to come up at Mothrowala in Dehradun, with land identified and environmental clearance obtained for the project, officials of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) said on Monday.Deputy municipal commissioner Tanvir Marwah said the pollution control board has approved the site and the tendering process is currently underway. “The project will take at least four months to complete,” he said. The civic body currently collects around 150 metric tonnes of construction waste every month.When asked whether the municipal corporation had identified an official dumping ground for construction debris, Marwah said the waste is presently being dumped at the site earmarked for the processing plant.

“Since a plant will come up there to process the debris, we are getting the waste dumped there,” he said.Officials said the facility, announced in 2024 under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), will convert construction debris into reusable materials such as bricks and blocks and is aimed at reducing dust pollution in the city.The move comes amid growing concerns over indiscriminate dumping of construction waste across Dehradun.

“Debris is dumped on footpaths and roads, blocking pathways and creating problems for pedestrians. Some of it is also dumped inside drains, choking them ahead of the monsoon,” said Pooja Thakur, a resident of Yamuna Colony.Mokhampur resident Naveen Chaudhary said, “Improper disposal of debris was also harming the environment. Construction waste gets mixed with rivers and regular garbage. It is harmful for animals too, as they rummage through the waste for food.”