Hakim stresses on efficient solid waste management

Kolkata: Harping on the need for efficient solid waste management, state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim said the Urban Development department and Panchayat and Rural Development department have collaborated to launch cleaning operations in the semi-urban and rural areas, while addressing a one-day workshop on solid waste management at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre on Wednesday afternoon.

Krishna Chakraborty, Mayor, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation and chairmen of all the municipalities were present at the meeting.

Debashis Sen, chairman, NKDA, Subrata Gupta, Principal Secretary, Urban Development department, Kalyan Rudra, chairman, Pollution Control Board, senior officials of Panchayat and Rural Development department and senior officials of Kolkata Municipal Corporation's Solid Waste Management department attended the workshop as well.

Hakim said because of high cost of land it has become difficult to get land to set up trenching ground and offloading garbage has become a major problem with the civic bodies.

Awareness drives have been conducted to ensure that people keep dry waste in one bin and organic waste in another bin for efficient solid waste management.

Meanwhile, the 4th session of 'Talk to Mayor' was also held on Wednesday, where Hakim asked KMC officials to remove garbage from the buildings that have been lying unfinished for many years.

He also instructed the civic officials to take measures to clean the roadside toilets that are stinking.