Wards must sort, process their own waste, says BMC

In a recent review meeting of the solid waste management department (SWD), municipal commissioner Praveen Pardeshi directed officials to promote disposal and processing of waste at the ward level.

In an attempt to reduce dumping of the city’s waste at landfills like Deonar and Kanjurmarg, which are nearing their full capacity, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is looking at decentralising waste management. In a recent review meeting of the solid waste management department (SWD), municipal commissioner Praveen Pardeshi directed officials to promote disposal and processing of waste at the ward level.

In an attempt to reduce dumping of the city’s waste at landfills like Deonar and Kanjurmarg, which are nearing their full capacity, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is looking at decentralising waste management. (PTI file photo)

SWD officials will now find vacant spaces in the wards which will be used to dispose and process the waste from the area. This is expected to reduce waste from being dumped at Deonar and Kanjurmarg, and divert it across the city.

“All wards have been told to identify spots at which waste processing units can be installed. The average size of the plot needed for a bio-methanisation plant to process a particular amount of waste is 1,500 square feet. Having waste processing units installed at ward levels is called decentralisation of waste. This will be very helpful to process, transport and dispose waste at a city level,” said a senior civic official.

As per the civic body’s claims, the city was generating up to 9,500 metric tonnes of waste daily in 2015, which was reduced to 7,200-7, 500 metric tonnes by 2018. This was mainly due to actions like penalising bulk generators and encouraging segregation and processing of wet and dry waste.

Earlier this month, the civic body appointed National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to conduct a survey on waste composition and quantification across the city. A proposal regarding this was passed in the standing committee. The survey report will highlight the city’s waste generation, transportation and disposal dynamics.