COIMBATORE: The Kurudampalayam panchayat, which is successfully implementing solid waste management, is implementing a plan to stop littering in public. With support from NGOs and private firms, the panchayat has cleaned dumping sites and rented them to traders to set up small business.
Panchayat president D Ravi said that the spots where people used to litter have now become places of business. To keep our roads clean, we adopted the idea of converting landfill areas into commercial spaces.
People can stall their pushcart vehicles or can set up temporary arrangement for their business. Mostly the shops selling vegetable, fruits and eateries are preferable. "The panchayat will earn revenue through this initiative. We have set a minimum rent of Rs 250 per shop per month," Ravi said.
According to Ravi, dumping spots in Vadamadurai, Rakkipalayam, Pazhanigoundanpudur and Thoppampatti junction have been cleaned and rented out. A few spots have been earmarked to set up autorickshaw stands.
"A total of 15 landfill areas were selected and cleaned in a week. The places along the roads those are suitable for running business. Other places where the business module is not possible, would be turned into gardens," said C Prasanth, director of Planet Huggs Pvt Ltd, which handles source segregation in the panchayat.
"We designate one cleaning staff for every 150 houses, to collect garbage at doorsteps so that people do not litter in public. We segregate around 10 tonnes of waste per day. Transforming roadside landfill areas as commercial sites will help to reduce waste generation and generate income," said Ravi.
Sources said the panchayat is going the extra mile to ensure source segregation. As against the government-sanctioned strength of 27 sanitation workers at a pay of Rs 3000, the panchayat has engaged 15 additional staff for a salary of Rs 6000 to ensure source segregation in effective manner, they added.