Zero-waste city: SMC tells staff to take the lead

Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani has also appealed to the residents of Surat to undertake the same exercise in their houses and in the neighbourhood and for that SMC employees have been urged to take the lead. “We decided to begin the process with our employees before officially implementing it. In the circular, we have asked them to convert wet waste into compost. The intention is to make the city zero waste,” Pani said.

The zonal heads have also been asked to get letters signed by the employees and submit them to the Health Department office of SMC in 10 days. Sources said that there are over 20,000 employees currently working with the SMC and less than 10,000 employees who have retired.

Executive engineer with the Solid Waste Department of SMC, E H Pathan said, “We have received the circular and the letter format. The SMC spends around Rs 2,500 per tonne for collection, transportation and disposal of dry and wet waste. If everybody starts segregating the dry and wet waste like they have been asked to, the expenses will come down. The compost will be used in the garden areas of SMC.”