VELLORE:Ushering in a new era in garbage disposal, Arcot Municipality will soon have Global Positioning System (GPS)-enabled “smart bins”, connected to a centralised monitoring system, as part of a modern Deep Underground Waste Management System (DUWMS).
The system, which is now in place only in six countries — Latvia, Finland, Sweden, Germany, France and Norway — will be implemented at a cost of Rs 3 crore in three phases under the Self Sufficiency Scheme of the Tamil Nadu government.
Merchants, hotel associations and philanthropists are contributing Rs 33 lakh for the project as public share, while Arcot MLA R Srinivasan and Arakkonam MP G Hari are contributing Rs 40 lakh and Rs 15 lakh respectively from their constituency development funds. The remaining amount will be allocated by the government.
In the first phase, the bins made of linear low-density polyethylene would be installed in 20 places. Each spot will have three bins — a three tonne capacity bin for degradable waste (green lid), a 1.3 tonne bin for plastic waste (blue lid) and another one for other waste (yellow lid).
Sixty per cent of the bins will be underground. “The bins are air and water tight to keep bacteria in the bio-waste intact and keep the place free of odour. The sensor in the bin will alert the control room at the municipality office as well as the specially designed collection truck when the waste touches 90 per cent of its capacity,” said J Gokulkrishnan, director of technical support and operation of EcoGarb, which is executing the project.
Two experts from Green World Group Waste Care Solution based in Latvia, who conducted a four-day study from Friday, suggested putting up 250 bins as the municipality generated 35 tonnes of waste per day, said Srinivasan.
“At present, bins have been installed in wards 3 and 14,” said municipal chairman R Purusothaman.