Kolkata Police installs garbage converter system at Bodyguard Lines
Kolkata: Kolkata Police has installed a garbage converter system at Bodyguard Lines in Alipore, which would transform biodegradable garbage into compost.
On Friday, Commissioner of Police (CP), Kolkata, Anuj Sharma launched the system, styled as 'Waste Pro'. The system is reportedly being introduced for the first time in the history of any government complex in the state.
According to Sharma, Kolkata Police has decided to start such an initiative as a part of its environment-friendly drive. He informed that the compost, which would be generated here, will be used for gardening in all the Kolkata Police establishments.
"We have started this in the Bodyguard Lines. Our plan is to install such machines in 12 Kolkata Police housing complexes in future," said Sharma.
According to Kolkata Police officials, inside the Bodyguard Lines there are 262 quarters, six canteens and several offices. Several police personnel live with their families there, whereas a good number of police personnel attend office there every day.
Each day, the complex generates around 300 kg of wet waste, which will now be converted into compost through the newly-installed system.
Earlier, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) used to collect two trucks of garbage each day. In case of late collection, the pile of garbage used to pollute the campus.
After this initiative, half of the garbage will be used for generating compost.
"Apart from converting the wet waste into compost, we have also planned to recycle the dry waste as far as possible. According to a senior police official, 20 percent of the total garbage generated each day can be recycled. For this, an agency has been engaged, which would collect the dry waste and recycle it," said a senior police official.
"After initiating these two systems, we are now sending 70 percent less garbage to the landfill in dhapa, where they are being burnt, causing heavy air pollution and ground water contamination. This way we are polluting our environment to a lesser extent," he added.
Sources informed that in future, Kolkata Police will not only install such systems in its housing complexes, but will also supply the compost generated to different government housings and offices for gardening and other such purposes.
