Urban News

Indian Express 10.11.2009

In a first, garbage disposal goes hi-tech in Pimpri-Chinchwad

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has taken a big leap in garbage management in town by putting bin clearance online to enable citizens to keep track of waste disposal in their neighbourhood. The website updates status of garbage bins and containers every five minutes.

The online system to monitor the status of garbage bins is said to be the first of its kind introduced by any municipal corporation in the country.

A citizen wanting to know the update on garbage bin clearance can visit PCMC's official website, pcmcindia.gov.in.com.

On the main page, one can click on solid waste management to know the status of the bins across the town.

The bins are divided among PCMC’s four divisional offices. A green bin shows it has been cleared. One can also know when the bin was cleared last.

Municipal Commissioner Asheesh Sharma said this system would help keep track of every garbage bin in town. “The website gives updates of containers every five minutes. It helps us send our vehicle to the area where garbage has not been cleared. The system has created accountability like never before,” the civic chief said.

Civic officer Neelkanth Poman, who heads the computer department, said every bin has a Global Positioning System (GPS) device to track garbage vans.

“The tracking system was introducted earlier for a few months on an experimental basis. Now we have gone full-fledged,” he said.

“Through the GPS device, we get to know the distance the vehicles have travelled and how much time it took them. A report is generated citing relevant details,” he said

The website, however, does not have a section for making any complaints if the bin is not cleared. “Citizens can SMS their complaints on 9922501450. Soon we will make the complaint section available on our website,” he said.

PCMC health chief Dr Nagkumar Kunachgi said there are 32 vehicles that lift 600 tonne garbage in town every day. “Of the 32 vehicles, 24 are compactors bought under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and eight are private vehicles.” Kunachgi said PCMC has been able to save crores of rupees after the GPS-compatible compactors were bought.

“Because of compactors, we saved nearly Rs 5 crore. We have reduced lifting of garbage through private vehicles. Once we buy a few more compactors, we will stop services of all private vehicles,” he said.

Although PCMC has gone hi-tech, residents still have complaints. “In Bhosari area, you will find garbage at every corner. A garbage bin is located right amidst residential areas. It gets filled in no time defeating its very purpose of keeping the area clean,” said Sachin Godambe, a local activist.

“PCMC is responsible for the mosquito menace and diseases by keeping garbage containers in busy residential areas. I will request the PCMC chief to remove all garbage containers and instead make residents use smaller household bins which can be collected the next day by PCMC,” said Shrikant Jadhav, a resident of Kasarwadi.

The Hindu 10.11.2009

VMC programme on elephantiasis

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) will organise a programme to distribute DEC (diethylcarbamazine) tablets, a medicine used in treating elephantiasis, in the city on Wednesday.

The corporation is distributing the tablets as part of national programme to prevent elephantiasis.

The programme will be launched at Giripuram Urban Health Centre at 9 a.m. on Wednesday.