Treat waste at source, BMC tells Bandra’s biggest hotels, gyms

MUMBAI: The H/West ward (Bandra) of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now begun talks with bulk producers of waste to treat it at the source. The ward office confirmed that it is in talks with hotels like Taj Land’s End and Olive Bar and Kitchen, hospitals and gymkhanas.

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The ward alone produces 300 metric tonnes of waste every day, statistics reveal.

According to officials, if the bulk producers started treating waste at the source, it will reduce amount of waste going to the three dumping grounds by 20%. Sharad Ughade, assistant commissioner of the H/West ward said, “There are already prototypes of these institutes in the ward. The Bhabha hospital, Khar gymkhana, H/West ward office and the post office have adopted the zero-garbage model. We are in talks with Bandra gymkhana and Otter’s Club who have agreed to implement the model.”

Recently, the KB Bhabha Hospital in Bandra also inaugurated a biogas plant in its premises to process its kitchen waste.

Currently, the ward is making a list of all the bulk producers and the amount of garbage produced by them. While the wet waste can be treated at source, the dry waste can be sent for recycling.

A senior civic official said that once the model proves successful in the H/West ward, it can be implemented all across the city.

Residents of Bandra have welcomed BMC’s move to provide relief to the dumping grounds.

Anandini Thakoor, managing trustee of the Khar Residents Association said, “We are going to start composting at the Khar market soon. The ward officer has been very supportive and we are looking at implementing the zero-garbage model in a lot of places in Bandra.”

By producing 9,000 metric tonnes of garbage on a daily basis, the city is reeling under a waste crisis. Of the three dumping grounds in the city, Mulund, Deonar and Kanjurmarg, waste is treated scientifically only at Kanjurmarg. Earlier this year, a huge number of fire incidents were reported at Deonar resulting in health issues for those living nearby . Recently, the Bombay high court also ordered a stay on new construction owing to the state government and BMC’s failure to comply with the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules at Deonar and Mulund dumping grounds.