Bhubaneswar: A high-level meeting chaired by Housing & Urban Development (H&UD) Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra Thursday focused on enhancing sanitation in urban local bodies (ULBs) through improved waste management strategies. The meeting reviewed the status of Compressed Biogas (CBG) plants in five Municipal Corporations, the Puri-Konark Cluster, and the Boudhgarh-Sonepur Cluster. Minister Mahapatra urged officials to accelerate project completion to improve waste processing efficiency.
To streamline urban waste management, the minister proposed establishing integrated waste processing complexes in municipal corporations and select municipalities. These facilities will house multiple processing units, including CBG plants, reducing infrastructure and transportation costs. He also directed officials to renovate and restore non-functional toilets and e-toilets under the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Addressing garbage accumulation, officials were instructed to expedite waste processing at the Temporary Transfer Station (TTS) near Sainik School and operationalise the mega waste processing centre at Palasuni. The minister suggested developing a digital sanitation monitoring application for municipal corporations and select municipalities, integrating it with the SUJOG portal for better oversight. H&UD principal secretary Usha Padhee proposed sharing a model agreement with ULBs to encourage self-help groups (SHGs) to participate in the operation and maintenance of public toilets and urban sanitation services.
