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Solid Waste Management

A2Z extends deadline to start solid waste management in Varanasi

Monday, 09 December 2013 12:14 administrator
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The Times of India               09.12.2013

A2Z extends deadline to start solid waste management in Varanasi

VARANASI: The deadline for taking up the charge of solid waste management of the entire city by the private firm A2Z has once again extended till January. According to the director of the firm, BN Tiwari there were a lot of operational difficulties to be discussed before taking over the complete charge. Tiwari will be arriving in the city on Monday to discuss certain issues with the municipal commissioner Umakant Tripathi.

"There are a lot of issues to be discussed including payment of funds due with the local body, method of realisation of the user charges, collection and transportation of solid waste from the garbage collection centres," said Tiwari.

At present the solid waste management firm A2Z is collecting door-to-door garbage in Bhelupur zone but the transportation of garbage from garbage collection centre in the zone is still being done by the Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC). According to the city health officer SSP Verma, the local body itself is struggling with the resources like JCB machines to carry on with the solid waste management and there is no respite despite the presence of A2Z in the city as of now.

According to the sources at the local body, non-payment of dues is the major problem. While according to the officials of the A2Z, vehicles can not be repaired for further operation. In this situation all hopes for betterment of solid waste management in the city rests on the Monday meeting of A2Z and VMC officials.

 

MC's anti-litter drive catches residents' fancy

Saturday, 07 December 2013 09:48 administrator
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The Times of India               07.12.2013

MC's anti-litter drive catches residents' fancy

LUDHIANA: Residents have started to respond against littering of garbage in several areas of the city by giving complaint calls to the authorities on a regular basis. The Municipal Corporation of Ludhiana (MCL) had started a drive against littering of garbage in most areas of the city two weeks ago, that was welcomed by residents of Ludhiana. However, the civic body had to face the resentment of market associations, who blamed the Municipal Corporation (MC) for not making them aware before starting a drive.

But the MC has kept the resentment of these market associations aside, and decided to go ahead with the drive. What made the civic body to strongly go ahead with the idea are several complaints pouring in everyday by residents against littering on the roads. Amarjit Singh Sekhon, Joint Commissioner of MC, said that the drive was going well, and several residents have now started calling to register complaints regarding littering of garbage. "There was some resentment by market associations, but we have decided to go ahead with the anti-littering drive," said Sekhon.

Interestingly, the MC has distributed 5,000 pamphlets in the Chaura Bazaar area of the old city. The area has a large number of shops that result in trash on the roads. MC has taken up the area on priority, as the civic body has received several complaints from there. So far, 300 challans have been issued from Ghanta Ghar to Jagraon Bridge, near Damoriya Bridge and Hambran Road, where the MC has got positive results. "We have got major success in these areas, as shopkeepers have stopped littering on the roads in front of their premises," said Sekhon.

The MC's sanitation wing also checks the trash to verify it belongs to the shop in front of which it is lying. MC imposes a penalty of Rs 1,000 on shopkeepers and Rs 500 on cart-pullers. A total of 15,000 pamphlets will be distributed. The debris lying in front of houses at various places is also a major issue the MC was planning to tackle. Vipal Malhotra of MC's health and sanitation wing said the issuing of challans in residential areas would also start soon. "There are 5,500 sweepers in Ludhiana who are unable to remove trash from these residential areas. This is because residents throw garbage on the roads, that results in sanitation problems. Even residents have to contribute in keeping Ludhiana clean," said Malhotra.

 

Third party agency to study zero garbage initiative

Friday, 06 December 2013 06:35 administrator
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Deccan Chronicle           06.12.2013

Third party agency to study zero garbage initiative

Picture for representational purpose only.
 
Bangalore: In order to assess the quantum of acceptance and the success of the BBMP’s ambitious zero garbage initiative launched across 22 wards in Bangalore on July 24 last year, the civic body has appointed a third party agency, Navigem, to study the situation and give a report.
 
 Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, K. C. Yatish Kumarwho is he? said that Gandhinagar ward has been picked for the pilot study. It will be compared to five other wards. Navigem has already started the process and a preliminary report has been submitted on Gandhinagar.  
 
 The initiative has been criticised by experts in the field of solid waste management and urban experts for not going about the process of segregation in a scientific way. There have been lapses on the part of the officials entrusted with managing the zero garbage project.
 
 Kumar said Navigem will study the segregation of dry waste and bio-medical waste, door-to-door collection, transportation and infrastructure aspects. The report is expected to be submitted to the BBMP in the next one month. Based on the report, the third party inspection will be extended to other wards too, he added.
 
 The BBMP has started penalising those who do not segregate their garbage. But Kumar admitted that there was a lack of awareness and more should be done to educate the public. The money earned from the penalties will be ploughed into an information, education and communication (IEC) initiative, he said.
 
 Citizens' Action Forum member N. Mukund said that the zero garbage initiative has not yielded good results as the tucks are still carrying mixed waste, mostly in commercial areas.
 
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