Pallavaram municipality aims for zero waste region

Those who generate garbage more than the 10 kgs will be required to turn the degradable waste into compost within their own premises. Non-degradable garbage will be collected only once a week from the residents. This measure is expected come into effect from August.

The Pallavaram Municipality comprises the hugely populated Chromepet, Pallavaram, Hasthinapuram, and Keelkattalai areas. More than 3 lakh people reside in the 42 wards that come under the municipality.

Sources said that nearly 104 tonnes of garbage was presently being collected every day from the residents. As they are grappling with finding efficient disposal mechanisms, the municipality officials have come with the new proposal of restricting garbage collection and keep surroundings clean.

“We have planned to collect only 10 kg of garbages per day from each house or apartment complex. In apartments and house, whose garbage generated is more than 10 kgs, they should bury the degradable garbage inside their premises and convert it into compost which can be used as a fertiliser,” said a municipality official.

The non-degradable garbage will be collected by the municipality workers every Wednesday and it will be sent to a private cement factory in Ariyalur, he added.

The municipality has already built a micro compost centre, in which the garbage will be turned into fertiliser. “We have planned to give the fertiliser to the farmers. At least 20 battery operated vehicles have also been brought for collecting the garbages,” the official added.

Besides this, the residents will also be warned not to dispose of the garbage on the streets and if anyone does it often, they will be punished.

Speaking to DT Next, Pallavaram Municipal commissioner K Sivakumar said, “The main motive is to change the suburb into a zero waste region. We have just initiated this and will try to do our best and regularise it. The public should support us and co-operate with us.”