MillenniumPost
Bengal

KMC looks to upgrade solid waste management in city

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has come up with a master plan for improvement of solid waste management (SWM) in Kolkata. The master plan has been prepared on the basis of SWM Rules 2016 and directions of the National Green Tribunal.

"We have already sent a proposal to Asian Development Bank (ADB) for a loan of Rs 1,800 crore through Kolkata Environment Improvement Investment Programme (KEIIP), in connection with the work regarding the master plan," said Debabrata Majumder, Member, Mayor-in-Council (SWM).

It may be mentioned that the master plan has been prepared with the help of Design and Supervision Consultants (DSC) engaged under KEEIP, after ADB showed interest to provide loan for various components in the master plan, subject to the approval of the Department of Economic Affairs. ADB had appointed an international SWM expert to support the DSC for preparation of the master plan.

The most important aspect of the SWM master plan is waste characterisation and recommendation about source segregation and in-house storage. According to a senior official of the SWM department, the master plan has clear-cut recommendations on recycling and recovery of waste, recommendations on primary collection of various categories of waste, street sweepings, procurement of vehicles, etc.

Apart from this, there are recommendations on composting, setting up of waste-to-energy plant and land requirement for development of infrastructure.

In all the cases, the plan involves short term (0-5 years), medium term (5-10 years) and long term (10-15 years) steps to address the deficiencies in the existing SWM system.

It may be mentioned that separation of dry waste and wet waste is of utmost importance in this context. Dry waste can be recycled, while the wet portion can be used for making fertilisers. Uttarpara Municipality in Hooghly district is now successfully doing segregation of waste at source.

The master plan has already got the approval at the Member, Mayor-in-Councils' meeting that was held on October 23. It will be placed for final approval at the monthly meeting of the civic body to be held on December 21.

It may be mentioned that KEEIP interventions in the form of improved water supply, sewerage and drainage in different parts of the city has already been taken up. However, loan for KEEIP has not included any component of SWM till date.

KMC has been doing segregation at source in seven wards in the city for a long time and has taken up a target of 20 wards every three months, for the introduction of similar facilities in all 144 wards under KMC.

Kolkata is the first in the country to introduce compactor stations that have gradually replaced almost all open vats in the city. At present, there are 400 such compactors in the city.

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