BHUBANESWAR: In a step towards ensuring optimum utilisation of bio-degradable waste in the Capital city, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra on Friday inaugurated an exclusive ‘Mo Khata’ outlet in the city.
The micro composting centre (MCC) initiative will provide bio-fertilisers to the residents of the city at affordable prices while addressing the problem of waste dumping in open land.
The initiative will also create employment opportunities for women self-help groups and local youths, Mahapatra said.
The Chief Secretary said ‘Mo Khata’ is a sustainable waste management technique that will reduce the burden of dumping on open land and minimize the carbon footprints in urban areas. Under the initiative, organic or wet waste is processed in MCCs using ‘enzyme solution’ and converted to compost manure.
The BMC has fixed the compost price at Rs 125 for 5 kg and Rs 445 for 20 kg packets to make the fertiliser affordable for common people. Besides, a discount of Rs 25 for 5 kg and Rs 45 for 20 kg packets is offered. One can also place purchase order over phone.
“We have opened the outlet at a prominent location in order to help people who are interested in buying the good quality compost at affordable rates,” BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Choudhary said.
As of now, eight MCCs, three at Nicco Park (for Ward No.-35, 36, 28, 29), one at Laxmi Sagar (for Ward No.-32 and 33), two at Unit - VIII (for Ward No.-51, 47 and 48), one at Pandara (for Ward No.-18 and 19) and one at Temporary Transit Centre near Sainik School (for Ward No.-12 and 17) are operational.
Official sources said Bhubaneswar generates over 520 tonne of waste every day.
Out of it, around 250 tonne is wet waste. Quantity of garbage collected daily requires 45 days of processing for conversion to compost. It is estimated that with operationalisation of all 43 MCCs in BMC, the city waste can produce nearly 50 tonne of compost per day.
The civic body is also running a campaign to generate awareness on door-to-door collection of garbage and segregation of waste at the source.