BMC to revamp 10 dry waste centres in first phase, Rs 70 lakh allocated for each centre

However, officials stated that the centres are not operating at full potential with most managed by informal sectors. It was in order to optimise their operations that the civic body launched plans to carry out phase-wise modernisation of the existing centres in consultation with RITES.

Ashwini Joshi, Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) said the modernisation plan entails upgradation of the centres through installation of conveyor belts, changing rooms for men and women working at the centres among other measures. Once modernised, the centres will cater to segregated waste and process them at site. Furthermore, the plan also seeks to reduce the burden on the dumping grounds at Kanjurmarg and Deonar wherein city’s garbage is dumped without treatment.

In the first phase, the BMC will undertake modernisation of dry waste segregation centres at Wadala, Marol, Dahisar East and Borivali West. These centres, data shows, are located on BMC-owned land and span over at least 2,000 sq feet with the largest centre in Dahisar sprawling over 14,200 sq feet of land. Meanwhile, the centres at Colaba, Kumbharwada, Agripada and Andheri West are slated to be taken up in the second phase of modernisation and four more centres–including at Andheri, Ghatkopar and Oshiwara–will be upgraded in the third phase.

“The objective behind this modernisation plan is to make dry waste segregation more organised. The Central government is also pushing for such schemes with the civic body also receiving funding for the initiatives,” said Joshi on Thursday.

According to officials, the tenders for the modernisation bid is set to be floated over the coming month.

Over 4,000 societies, organisations sign up for sanitary waste collection

Five months since the launch of its domestic sanitary and special care waste management drive, over 4,000 entities have signed up to avail the civic facility. At present, the BMC is collecting over 2.5 tonnes of sanitary and special care waste each daily.

Currently, of the 7,000 to 8,000 metric tonnes of waste generated in the city per day, nearly 70 to 80 metric tonnes of waste is of sanitary products which are discarded without any care. This encompasses items ranging from sanitary napkins, diapers, tampons, and other items such as contaminated cotton, bandages, nails, gloves, needles, razors, waxing strips etc.

In a bid to segregate sanitary waste with the aim of eventually treating it, the BMC in April launched the special care waste management drive as per the SWM rules which calls for four-way segregation of waste.

The BMC has distributed yellow bins as well as yellow bags which are earmarked for disposal of special care waste. According to officials, 4,000 societies, beauty parlours and hostels have registered to avail the facility, wherein the BMC collects the segregated waste.

At present, the BMC has 11 plasma incineration plants of 4 TPD each where these segregated wastes are being collected.