Rourkela Municipal Corporation ropes in private firms for waste management in Steel City

ROURKELA:  A fortnight after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched advanced sanitation management programme for the city, Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) on Saturday roped in two private partners for effective management of waste in areas under its jurisdiction.

RMC commissioner Dibyajyoti Parida said the civic body has kept in mind the welfare of rag-pickers while taking steps for effective management of dry waste.

An MoU was signed with Clear Cloud Pvt Ltd (CCPL) which would work out an economic model to provide livelihood to hundreds of ragpickers and gainfully process plastic waste to help keep the city clean.

A training session was held on the day where the rag-pickers were apprised on recycling of plastic waste and ways to augment their income and ensure social security. Parida said another MoU was signed with Koel Fresh Pvt Ltd (KFPL) for effective management of excess organic waste.

KFPL would collect cattle dung from different cattlesheds in the city and process them into vermi-compost and manure. RMC generates about 120-130 tonne of municipal waste including 100-110 tonne wet waste daily.

The civic body has set up seven micro-composting centres (MCC) with a capacity to process 35 tonne waste in the city. Sources said till the civic body comes up with more MCCs, the partnership with KFPL would help utilise excess wet waste.

Under the advanced sanitation management programme, RMC has been given 94 vehicles and equipment meant for road sweeping, mist spraying for dust control, waste collection from septic tanks, mechanical cleaning of footpaths and drains, garbage collection from households and roads and fogging for mosquito control.