Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, May 10: Development commissioner UN Behera has asked all urban local bodies (ULBs) to start segregating plastic waste from solid municipal waste and burn polythene trash at cement factories based in the state.
The directive is aimed at treating plastic waste scientifically at the three cement factories at Bargarh, Koraput and Rajgangpur (Sundargarh district) in line with the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011, to bring down pollution caused by polythene.
The directive is likely to prompt Orissa’s largest civic body, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), to start segregating plastic trash from solid waste. The civic body had planned to engage ragpickers for segregation but the plan fizzled out.
According to the diktat from Behera, all 113 ULBs (including five municipal corporations, 47 municipalities and 61 NACs) will have to develop a mechanism to segregate plastic from municipal waste for which ragpickers and consultants may be roped in by the civic bodies.A few months ago, BMC had decided to keep two bins to fight the plastic menace. It had also planned to sensitise people to keep separate bins in their homes for disposing of polythene waste.
Joint squads of the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), BMC and the forests and environment department were supposed to organise regular raids at shops and other commercial establishments to curb the use of polythene below 40-micron thickness.
“The meeting chaired by development commissioner UN Behera Friday last was aimed at effectively treating plastic waste that poses a threat to the environment. We would take concerted steps to comply with the diktat,” BMC city engineer BK Parida said.