ROURKELA: The Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) has finally dropped its plan to set up a municipal solid waste plant which was proposed more than a decade back but failed to take off.
Instead, the civic body has decided to set up 10 micro composting centres (MCCs) to meet the challenge of scientific garbage disposal. While three MCCs started functioning from Monday, five others would start in a month with an aim to convert Rourkela into garbage-free city.
The MCCs would act as primary dumping points for segregated wet and dry waste. While the wet garbage would be processed into manure, single use plastic waste will be supplied to a cement manufacturer.
RMC Deputy Commissioner Sudhanshu Bhoi said that the MCCs at Tarkera, Balughat and on BPUT campus have been made operational. Construction of the MCC at Fertilizer Township is in initial stage and efforts are underway to start work on another two soon. The RMC is also in the process of procuring 10 battery operated vehicles (BOVs) in the first phase for garbage collection from source points.
RMC Commissioner Dibyajyoti Parida said the civic body has roped in women self-help groups for maintenance and operation of seven MCCs. Areas under RMC limits generate 75-80 tonne of wet waste and 50-55 tonne of dry garbage daily. Proper waste disposal continues to be a major challenge for the city.