Micro composting centres lie unutilised as Cuttack battles shabby waste management

As per the plan, local self-help groups were to be roped in for marketing of the manure and the revenue supposed to be utilised for welfare of the city's residents.

Heaps of biomedical waste lying unattended near the centre of excellence building in Cuttack. (File photo| EPS) 

CUTTACK: Waste management in the Millennium city is in shambles with the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) yet to make the majority of micro composting centres (MCCs) functional. Inspired by the model sanitation system of Tamil Nadu, the CMC in 2019 had taken steps for strengthening door-to-door segregated waste collection.

As part of the initiative, the civic body had set up MCCs and material recovery facilities (MRFs) at different locations for processing of segregated organic waste and recycling of solid waste. 

The CMC had also planned to generate revenue by selling manure produced from the MCCs. As per the plan, local self-help groups (SHGs) were to be roped in for marketing of the manure and the revenue supposed to be utilised for welfare of the city's residents.

Initially, the civic body started work for setting up 17 MCCs in and around the city.  While only five MCCs set up at Biju Bhawan, Pota Pokhari, Sartol, Nakeipadia and Najarpur are functioning at present, the rest 12 are yet to be made operational. 

Sources said while construction of six MCCs at Hatipokhari, Telenga Bazar, IDCO Padia, Nayahat, CDA Sector-7 and Deula Sahi is already over, they are yet to be made functional. Of the rest six MCCs, while construction of two in front of Sati Chaura and Goshala has been delayed due to lack of monitoring and supervision, construction of other three others at Jobra and Bidyadharpur and Nuapada has not commenced due to land dispute, said sources. 

Following the land dispute, while the proposed MCC at Bidyadharpur has been shifted to Khannagar, the two centres at Jobra and Nuapada have been cancelled. This apart the MCC constructed on the premises of Bikash Bhawan has been dismantled.  

CMC commissioner Ananya Das said after completion of civil construction, necessary machinery and equipment are being procured to make the six MCCs functional. Regarding cancellation of MCCs, Das said as per necessity, the civic body has recast and reduced the number of such facilities. As per the recast, 13 MCCs will be sufficient for waste management, she stated.