Balurghat Municipality to install solid waste management sys with fund of about Rs 34L

BALURGHAT: The Balurghat Municipality will install a solid waste management system in Balurghat with a fund of about Rs 34 lakh allocated by the state government. The solid waste management will come up at the existing dumping ground in Balurghat’s Lalmata area.

Ashok Kumar Mitra, Balurghat civic body chairman, said: “Degradable and non-degradable waste is being collected separately in all 25 wards. About 75 per cent legacy waste has been cleaned. Occasionally, cattle, including cows and goats enter the ground. Cattle tracks will be made to stop them.

Moreover, for the convenience of travel, the road from the main road to the CPU unit of the dumping ground will be constructed with accommodation of a security guard house separately. We have already received a fund of Rs 34 lakh from the state after sending the proposal.”

The area and jurisdiction of Balurghat Municipality has recently been increased with three new wards created. The volume of waste is increasing following the inclusion of the new wards.

The civic authority has set a target to deal with 100 per cent solid waste this time. In Lalmata, the total waste of the city, including plastic, papers and garbage is dumped. Following the huge accumulation of garbage, there has been a problem of space and there is urgent need of s pace management.

A boundary wall has also been constructed. Despite this, at times, the waste spills over to neighbouring agricultural lands. As a result farmers constantly complain about crop damage to the civic authority.

Two separation machines have been installed to separate plastic items and degradable waste. This work is being done through an agency in Delhi under the State Urban Development Agency (SUDA). Steps have been taken to restrict the movement of animals inside the dumping ground area.