Use plastic waste in road projects: Local bodies dept to MCs

Ludhiana MC has recently allotted a project to construct a road using plastic waste in New Partap Nagar of ward number 94 at a cost of around ₹44-lakh

Citing the rising plastic pollution and problems being faced in disposing of the same, the local bodies department has issued directions to the municipal corporations (MC) and improvement trusts across the state to mandatorily use plastic waste in all the road construction projects proposed for future.

In the letter dated November 10, the MC authorities have also been directed to purchase machinery required to shred and use plastic waste in road construction, as per the norms set by the authorities in the past. (HT FILE)

In the letter dated November 10, the MC authorities have also been directed to purchase machinery required to shred and use plastic waste in road construction, as per the norms set by the authorities in the past.

Ludhiana MC has recently allotted a project to construct a road using plastic waste in New Partap Nagar of ward number 94 at a cost of around ₹44-lakh. The project was taken up on the recommendations of councillor Gurpreet Gopi. The authorities said 6 per cent of the plastic waste would be mixed with bitumen material for the construction of roads.

Though the contractor is arranging shredded plastic for the project from outside, the local bodies department has directed the MC to ensure that the contractors purchase waste plastic from the MC only for future projects.

Gopi said in September, he had also written to the state government to frame a policy for using plastic waste in all the road construction projects. Further, he also slammed the authorities over the slow pace of the project allotted for constructing the road using plastic waste in his ward, he said.

Ludhiana generates around 300 metric tonnes of plastic waste on a daily basis and if the plastic waste is used in road construction, it would also help in disposing of the solid waste, which is a major challenge in front of the civic body, said Gopi.

Meanwhile, MC additional commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal said following the recommendations of the local bodies department, directions had been issued to the concerned staff of the MC to ensure usage of plastic waste in the road constructions which would be proposed in future.