PARADIP: Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) department G Mathi Vathanan and Director Sangramjit Nayak reviewed ongoing projects of Paradip Municipality including 'Mo Khata’ (My Compost) programme on Wednesday.
A model for urban solid waste management in the State, the innovative programme of Paradip Municipality involves use of organic waste to produce compost for agricultural use by farmers.
The municipal body has institutionalised the waste segregation system by setting up a material recovery facility (MRF) where non-compostable solid waste is stored along with five micro composting centres (MCCs) for processing of organic waste and ensuring zero discharge of organic waste to the landfill site.
The process of collecting waste has been decentralised and the task assigned to women and transgenders under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, National Livelihood Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban Convergence) Vathanan visited the project sites including the MCCs and MRFs besides the Aahar centre, community and public toilets, science park and Paradip beach. He was informed that solid waste management has been covered in all 19 Wards of the municipality with everyday average collection of garbage being around 50 tonne from 17,700 households.
Sources said the municipality has collected Rs 55,700 towards user fees and the money has been spent on the salary of Swachh Sathis and supervisors.
Of the five MCCs, the one at Rangiagada is being operated and maintained by Bahuchara self-help group comprising transgenders.
As many as 32 transgenders have been engaged in running the MCC. On the day, Vathanan interacted with the transgenders.