Solid Waste Management

PCMC to collect waste disposal charges soon

Friday, 22 November 2013 10:27 administrator

The Times of India 22.11.2013

PCMC to collect waste disposal charges soon

PUNE: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) will start collecting annual waste disposal charges from 509 hotels registered under category D. The civic body is also likely to collect charges from food stall owners for the first time.

The decision was taken at the general body meeting on Thursday, when a proposal for increasing the waste disposal charges for hotels, marriage halls, shopping malls, five and three-star hotels was tabled for discussion. PCMC is already collecting waste disposal charges from marriage halls and hotels registered under categories A, B, and C.

While the municipal corporation had proposed to collect annual charges of Rs 3,000 from category D hotels, corporator Ulhas Shetty tabled a proposal stating that Rs 1,000 be collected from these hotels. Corporator Prashant Shitole also tabled a short notice proposal demanding that waste disposal charges be levied on stall holders selling snacks, food items, vegetables and meat. Mayor Mohini Lande approved the proposal.

RB Chavan, health executive officer, PCMC said, "The details of the decision will be known after the proceedings are finalised. The municipal commissioner will take a call on whether or not to implement the short notice proposals."

Now, walkie-talkies to aid SWM

Friday, 22 November 2013 06:02 administrator

The New Indian Express 22.11.2013

As part of its efforts to improve and streamline solid waste management (SWM) in the city, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike will soon begin distribution of two-way radios (walkie-talkies) to officials handling the service.

According to BBMP Commissioner M Lakshminarayana, walkie-talkie handsets will be used to relay messages on uncleared garbage. When members of the public call the BBMP’s control rooms with complaints on uncleared waste, staff will relay the information to the officials concerned via walkie-talkie.

Interestingly, the plan could cut costs as it does not involve purchase of new equipment. Instead, nearly 300 two-way radios, that are currently used by senior officials or fitted to their service vehicles, will be redistributed to other staff.

Lakshminarayana explained that currently walkie-talkies were provided to staff of the rank of assistant executive engineers and above. “However, the service was not effective as officials were using mobile phones,” he said.

“Now, in order to utilise the service more effectively, we are planning to provide this service only to officials working in SWM such as health inspectors, assistant engineers (including ward engineers) and others,” he said.

Explaining further, Lakshminarayana said walkie-talkie handsets given to officials working in welfare, roads and other departments will be withdrawn.

“These officials do not require this service,” he said.

He also said because of unnecessary lines, walkie-talkie communication was not effective.

“All these days, walkie-talkie service was hierarchy-based and given to senior officials. But now onwards, it will be an activity-based service,” he added.

The Commissioner said he had asked the joint commissioner (Health), who is in-charge of SWM, to provide a list of officials working in the department.

However, some Councillors are sceptical. A senior councillor from the BJP, who wished to remain anonymous, said “Our officials do not have commitment. If we complain about garbage on the streets to them over phone, they will not make an attempt to clear it.”

“Now, complaints will be conveyed to officials via walkie-talkie from control room staff. How can one expect them to clear the garbage?,” he questioned.

Corporation, police join hands for a Palayam free of garbage

Monday, 18 November 2013 11:28 administrator

The Times of India 18.11.2013

Corporation, police join hands for a Palayam free of garbage

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The residents of Palayam ward who have been conveniently ignoring the reminders of the city corporation not to dump garbage on public places and to make use of the daily collection system will now have to deal with the police. The corporation has now teamed up with Museum police to make the residents of Palayam cooperate with the waste management system that was put in place in September.

The first phase of the awareness campaign began in the ward on Sunday with police convening a session for the residents along with the corporation standing committee members. The cleanwell workers had earlier handed over a list of households that have not been giving waste for the last two months. The cops will also visit these households along with the corporation officials as part of including the households in the system, which also began on Sunday.

The civic body has sought the help of Museum police as part of converting Palayam as the first self-sustained ward in waste management in the city. "We will begin with awareness sessions. After a week, if the households continue to ignore the cleanwell workers, we will start resorting to other measures, including filing of criminal cases and slamming penalties. Public littering, despite having a proper system, calls for prosecution," said Museum CI V Jayachandran.

In the second phase, shadow police will be deployed to keep a watch on the people who dump waste on public places.

The corporation, which resumed waste collection at Palayam from September 1 after a gap of two years, has been dealing with serious grievances from cleanwell workers who complain about certain residents who hand out broken glass pieces, diapers and napkins along with kitchen waste. Besides three major lanes, forest office road, Bakery-Paris Colony road and Rajeev Lane were identified

, where some residents have been dumping waste in spite of the waste collection being initiated in the ward.

The civic body's health wing collected a fine of Rs 60,000 in one week after the squads were deployed to prevent littering of streets. Of the total 2,100 households in the ward, the cleanwell workers have been collecting waste regularly from only 750 households. As part of the collection process, each household ought to pay Rs 60 per month. The collection status, which was compiled in October, showed that the amount could be collected from only 625 households.

"We hope to resolve all these issues by this tie-up with Museum police. From Sunday onwards, awareness sessions and house visits will be conducted for a period of one week. Soon Palayam will be declared as garbage-free ward," said Palayam Rajan, chairman, welfare standing committee.

The biogas plant at Palayam is being set up at a cost of Rs 26 lakh. The plant with 2 tonne capacity works on bio- methanization process where the organic waste is converted into methane, which in turn is converted into electricity.