The solid waste management plant was inaugurated by Chandigarh administrator S.F. Rodrigues in May last year.

It was set up under a public-private initiative between Jaiprakash Associates Ltd and the Chandigarh municipal corporation.

Spread over 10 acres of land, the plant

cost Rs.300 million (Rs.30 crore) and has the capacity to process 500 tonnes of solid waste every day.

Residents of Chandigarh are being forced to live in the stinking environment and have filed hundreds of complaints against the plant in the last few weeks.

'It is sad but gradually we have made it a habit to live in this smelly environment. Actually, we do not have an option, but the situation has become intolerable for the last one month. We have filed numerous complaints in the municipal corporation office but to no avail,' Sadhu Ram, a resident of Sector 25, told IANS.

Sanjeev Sharma, a resident of Sector 22, which is around four kilometres from the plant, said, 'The stink is in the air throughout the day but in the evening the situation becomes grave. We do not allow our children to go out after 7 p.m. fearing the smell may harm their health.'

'Many times there is a feeling that the carcass of an animal is decaying in our courtyard. We have sent many complaints to our area councillors.'