The Hindu 14.02.2010
Source segregation of garbage soon in 96 wards
Deepa H Ramakrishnan
— Photo: M.Vedhan
Neel Metal Fanalca staff sorting garbage for recyclables in a wards.
CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation will soon start source segregation of garbage in portions of 96 wards in the city. Senior civic body officials said the initiative would initially cover 1,000 houses in each ward and then gradually expand it to other areas.
“By March first week, we will begin in all 84 wards. From Monday onwards, an intensive awareness campaign will be conducted in the selected areas and residents would be given bags to collect plastics and recyclables,” said an official. Chosen conservancy staff would be provided with red tricycles to periodically go to houses to collect the dry waste. They are being given the option of selling the materials and retaining the money for themselves. Work has already begun in Nungambakkam zone, which has started segregation in ward 100 Choolai area. A zonal official said the response from the public was good and localities such as Rutland Gate and Khader Nawaz Khan Road in Nungambakkam would be covered soon.
Private conservancy agency Neel Metal Fanalca which clears garbage in four Corporation Zones, has also begun source segregation in 5 wards. “We have deployed a separate vehicle for this and collect 27 tonnes of recyclables in five wards in a month. We are also doing partially in three wards,” said an official. The company plans to take up source segregation in all wards in Ice House Zone.
