HMC to host conclave on effective disposal & management of solid waste

Kolkata: Aiming to ensure regular disposal of solid waste and better management of the same, the Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) will host a day-long conclave on Saturday to create awareness among residents, school-goers and sanitation workers.

This comes within two days after the state-level review meeting on "Mission Nirmal Bangla" and the vector-borne disease control programme organised by the state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department held at Biswa Bangla Convention Centre on Thursday. While addressing the review meeting, Firhad Hakim, minister of the department, urged representatives of all civic bodies to take necessary measures to ensure regular disposal of solid waste as the scarcity of vacant land to dump the same has emerged as a major problem in the urban areas.

HMC has organised the "Conclave on Solid Waste Management" as part of the Mission Clean and Green Howrah at Sarat Sadan. The event that starts at 11 am has been divided into four segments, including a technical session and a poster designing competition. The former will help people gain knowledge on what should be done for easy disposal of solid waste management while through poster competition, school-goers can also be part of the awareness campaign of the same.

Bijin Krishna, Commissioner of HMC, said: "The conclave is being organised to create awareness so that segregated waste can be collected in the first go itself." Arup Roy, Trinamool Congress MP and the state Co-operation minister; Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Minister of State for Youth Services and Sports department; Subrata Gupta, Principal Secretary of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department and Rajesh Kumar, Member Secretary of the West Bengal Pollution Control Board will be attending the conclave.

The HMC has taken several steps to ensure better handling of solid waste management. Now, the authorities are taking all necessary initiatives to create awareness among residents of the urban areas of the district.

The civic body has put up hoardings at every nook and corner urging people to keep wet and dry waste in two different bins. It has also provided two bins of two different colours in every household.