Kolkata: State Additional Chief Secretary of the Environment department Roshni Sen said on Thursday that the state government has initiated rural industrial entrepreneurship by converting rural slaughter-house waste into organic fertiliser, which is being used for crop cultivation, including potato and other vegetables.
The mechanism devised by the state Science, Technology and Bio Technology department has already been patented. Speaking at the 19th ICC Environment Partnership Summit & Environment Excellence Awards, she said that the Bengal government will submit a monthly progress report at the National Conference of Chief Secretaries scheduled later this month on the theme ‘Green and Circular Economy’, stating various key initiatives of different government departments in this regard.
According to Sen, the state Department of Science, Technology, and Biotechnology has supported a project to convert pre and post-harvest fruit loss into value-added food products.
She highlighted a 500-tonne-per-day construction and demolition waste facility at Pathuriaghata and urged developers to “maximise its utilisation.” She noted that a state-of-the-art e-waste recycling facility is nearing completion at Sonarpur Hardware Park, adding that Webel has been designated as the state implementing and nodal agency for e-waste management.
“A Special Purpose Vehicle has been formed by the MSME and Textiles Department for coordinated waste management, and recyclers and re-traders have been recognised as a distinct industrial category through the Shilpa Sathi single-window system,” said Sen.
She highlighted that “rapid population growth, escalating waste generation, environmental degradation and increasing pressure on finite natural resources” make it imperative to move away from the linear model. Emphasising the four ‘R’s—“reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery”—she said the focus must be on “extending product life cycles, minimising waste and reintegrating materials into production systems”. Emphasising ‘Extended Producer Responsibility’, she noted that “100 per cent registration has been achieved for producers, importers, brand owners and recyclers” under plastic, battery, and
e-waste portals, with “more than 1.18 lakh kg of e-waste recycled in 2024–25” and current year figures expected to cross one lakh kg. Speakers included Sanjay Budhia, Past President - ICC & MD – Patton, Dr Rajeev Singh, Director General - ICC, along with Aloke Mookherjea, Chairman – Jury Board, ICC Environment Excellence Award.