The Hindu 24.08.2013
Spotless Moodbidri dumps garbage bins
Dry and wet waste segregated and collected at source — houses and shops
Moodbidri, a town of about 30,000 people and home to 15{+t}{+h}century Thousand-Pillar Jain Basadi, has added new feather to its cap: it is probably the only town in the State which is garbage-bin free. It is also a model to the much-talked about and least implemented segregation of solid waste at the point of generation — houses.
Achieved painstakingly by the local civic body through persuasion, imposition of fine, and close monitoring despite large number of posts in the Health Department lying vacant, the scheme now ensures total participation of every resident.
Maria Crasta of Licky Compound, a residential area in the town, said that a vehicle of the Moodbidri Town Municipality picked up the dry and wet waste separately for six days a week except on Sundays. She has no problem in parting with Rs. 40 a month.
Ms. Crasta said that the waste collectors carried dry and wet waste separately without mixing them. This is contrary to experience of people in pockets of Mangalore where collectors mix garbage even if households segregate.
Ashraf A.S., a fruit and vegetable shopkeeper at the bus stand, said that the waste collectors arrived at the bus stand between 7.30 a.m. and 8 a.m.
“I keep plastic ropes, packing materials separately and fruit waste separately.” He pays Rs. 100 a month.
A.L. Vas, a general merchant at the main market since 1976, said: “It is for the first time I am seeing a clean Moodbidri without plastic bags and garbage dumped on the roadside and in the market. A year ago the bus stand had garbage here and there.”
Showing the way
45 concrete garbage bins, 10 metal containers removed
Workers of two self-help groups collect segregated garbage
35 hoardings-cum-mini boards create awareness
The town has 9,000 houses, 2,400 shops
A combination of awareness drive and imposing fine worked
