Now, Thane civic body makes waste segregation mandatory

Officials from the Thane civic body said they have started issuing notices to housing societies warning that they would not pick up garbage if it is not segregated, as per the directions issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests last year, said an official. Close to 700 metric tonne of garbage is generated daily in the city. “We have started asking housing societies to segregate dry and wet waste from December 15. It is to reduce the quantity of waste sent to the dumping ground,” said Samir Unhale, additional municipal commissioner, Thane.

Unhale said the civic body hopes to get a positive response. “We are also asking buildings or societies that generate over 100 kg waste to set up waste processing plants on their premises,” he said.

Another official, citing Mumbai’s aggressive campaign for waste segregation, said, “We need to make similar efforts. And this is the first step in that direction.” According to him, bulk waste generators include housing societies, hotels, malls and hospitals. “If these bulk generators set up processing plants on their premises, it will reduce 30 percent garbage collection in the city. If the decision of waste segregation and setting up of processing plants is not followed by citizens, then penal action will be taken against them,” he said.

Earlier this year, the Thane civic body had courted controversy after it decided to stop garbage collections from traders. Officials had said the decision was taken to recover solid waste management tax from shopkeepers who did not pay the tax despite several notices.