Even though the City Corporation could take some minor steps towards tackling the degradable waste generated in the city, the civic body had, so far, no solution to the woes faced by the residents over plastic waste, after the ferrying of garbage to the Vilappilsala centralised waste treatment plant came to a halt since December 2011. The two shredding units installed at Connemara market, Palayam, with much fanfare turned a damp squib, as the two machines stopped working soon after the inauguration.
After calling an Expression of Interest (EoI) by the end of last month for selling plastics collected in the Corporation area and for the operation and maintenance of the shredding units, the Corporation is now moving on to entitle the bid to one among the four parties who have expressed interest. “Four agencies in Thiruvananthapuram have shown interest in collecting the plastic waste and a discussion with all four will be held,” said S Pushpalatha, Health Standing Committee chairperson of the Corporation. Considering the experience of the party to recycle plastic, the contract will be awarded.
As per the details furnished in the invitation for proposal, five tonnes of plastic garbage is generated in the city per day. When the Corporation takes the responsibility to bring that much quantity of plastic waste to the collection points, further responsibility is upon the bidder, who has to carry it away and find a suitable market. Regarding the running of plastic-shredding unit, the contract period will be two years.
Meanwhile, Palayam ward councillor Palayam Rajan has asked for bringing the subject for a detailed discussion as there is lack of clarity in the quantity of plastic to be processed in the unit.
“The machines cannot process the said five tonnes of plastics as the capacity of the machines is only 50 kilograms. Hence, if the contractor brings their own machines, the two shredding machines there will be of no use,” he said.