Dadar to get 1st of 20 organic waste converters soon

The OWC has been installed at Krantisingh Nana Patil (KNP) vegetable market, Dadar (West) after the first trial run was a success. These waste converters will also help in reducing the load on the city’s already-saturated dumping grounds.

Soon, the city’s markets may be free from the stench and unpleasant view of heaps of garbage outside. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) first organic waste converter (OWC) will be inaugurated next week.

These OWCs will convert wet waste into compost through the natural process. (Hindustan Times File Photo)

The OWC has been installed at Krantisingh Nana Patil (KNP) vegetable market, Dadar (West) after the first trial run was a success. These waste converters will also help in reducing the load on the city’s already-saturated dumping grounds.

The BMC plans to install 20 OWCs at its 71 civic markets. These OWCs will convert wet waste into compost through the natural process. Sources said that Sena Yuva chief Aditya Thackeray is likely to inaugurate the machine this week.

Along with the KNP vegetable market, three additional machines will be installed at Maasaheb Meenatai flower market at Dadar (West), Sainath Market at Malad (West), and Borivli market, Borivli (West) by the end of this year. They will be set up under tender one of this project and are estimated to cost ₹8.75 crore. These four markets currently generate 27.5 metric tonnes of wet waste.

Sangeeta Hasnale, assistant commissioner, markets, said, “The contractor appointed will be responsible for collecting the garbage and dumping it in the OWC which will be provided by the BMC. The converters will create natural fertiliser and also clear the city of the unnecessary stench which is now common outside civic markets.”

The other 16 machines will be installed for 67 markets under tender two. Earlier, a single bid was received for the tender at a cost of ₹26 crore to compost 76 metric tonnes. More tenders will be invited again soon.