BHUBANESWAR: With piling up of solid waste becoming a headache for civic authorities, the Odisha Government has decided to set up waste processing and disposal facilities in all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) soon.
Of 114 ULBs, including five Municipal Corporations, 53 Municipalities and 61 Notified Area Councils (NACs) land for such facilities has been identified for 76 civic bodies while process is on for the rest.
Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, G Mathi Vathanan said ULBs have been asked to finalise their master plan by taking into consideration the newly-identified land within 60 days. “We have adopted a new approach for solid waste management. Apart from waste processing facilities, micro composting centres will also be set up. The centres can process bio-degradable wastes of one tonne to five tonne a day. This will help reduce the waste burden,” he said.
The decision has been taken as per the direction of National Green Tribunal, which had expressed displeasure over the State Government’s failure to implement Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The Municipal Corporations of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack have been asked to start bio-mining of legacy waste (wastes that piled up for several years at the dumping yards) immediately. Bio-mining also includes segregation of waste.
The Housing and Urban Development Department has also prescribed a standard operating procedure on appropriate measures like use of bar screen and wire nets in drains so that no municipal solid or plastic waste is allowed to reach river system, lakes, water bodies, ponds, marsh lands and wetlands.
“All ULBs will have to implement the procedures in a time-bound manner. The civic bodies have been asked to identify the low-lying areas in their respective jurisdiction for disposal of construction and demolition wastes,” Mathi Vathanan said.
Meanwhile, National Highways Authority and Road and Buildings Department have been asked not to stack building materials on the roadside causing hindrance. If the same are not cleared, urban local body will take action for sale or utilise the materials.
At least 40 material recovery facilities have been set up. The State generates around 10 lakh tonne of waste per annum.