Khurda: Khurda municipality has launched a campaign to improve garbage disposal system in the district headquarters town and secure the top position in Swachh Survekshan-2021.
The municipal body has launched the ‘Swachha Khurda Sustha Khurda’ (Clean Khurda Healthy Khurda) campaign to secure the top position in the cleanliness survey among towns having less than 50,000 population in the East Zone.
The district headquarters town was earlier ranked 64th in the East Zone in the cleanliness survey.
“We have prepared a master plan to secure the top position in the Swachh Survekshan-2021. An awareness campaign has been launched in Khurda town. We have pasted posters, put up hoardings and engaged awareness vehicles to sensitise people on the issue,” said municipal executive officer Shwetapadma Satpathy.
Satpathy claimed that they have urged people and shopkeepers to segregate garbage and keep them in separate trashcans. The civic body has deployed several vehicles to collect garbage from the households and shops, she said.
The municipal authorities have urged the locals not to dump garbage and debris on the streets. They have also banned the sale and use of plastic bags. “People must not keep bricks, sand and other construction materials on the streets. Any violation in this regard would invite penalties,” Satpathy said.
With over 47,000 people inhabiting in Khurda municipality area, the town generates 14 to 16 tonnes of garbage every day. Of them, while 40 per cent comprises dry wastes, the remaining 60 per cent is of wet type.
The Housing and Urban Development department has set up a micro composting centre at Mukundprasad to convert the wet garbage into manure.
“We have planned to sell the manure online. Recently, a training camp was organised for our sanitation workers for better management of garbage. We will organise similar camps in future,” Satpathy said.
Khurda municipality sanitation expert Debashis Baral said the civic body has engaged a private agency to collect garbage from 22 wards of the town. “Around 200 sweepers, six tractors, equal number of battery-operated vehicles and 30 tricycles have been engaged to collect garbage from the town. Now, we are collecting a monthly users’ fee of Rs 30 from each household for proper disposal of garbage,” Baral added.