Technology is vital for efficient management. The garbage collection vehicles collecting door-to-door garbage have been equipped with GPS to make it traceable. Construction of elevated transfer station for centralized collection of municipal solid waste have also been initiated under the JnNURM scheme. Two waste processing facilities – one based on integrated processing technology which minimizes waste load on the landfill and increases the life span thereby and second based on composting, have been set up. The integrated processing facility consists of composting of biodegradable matter, palletisation, and recovery of recyclables such as metals, rubber, plastics, RDF and manufacturing of sand and eco bricks. Only 20% of the total incoming waste is going for the landfilling by this technology. The processing plant is operationalized since February 2010. The tenure of the agreement is of 10 years which will expire in 2018. The capacity of plant is now expanded to 500TPD.
VMC has also initiated carcass disposal based on BARC’s Nisarguna technology with multi feeding facility – the carcass along with the dead bodies of the animals and other waste is then fed into the biogas plant.
Collection & Segregation of Waste
Considering the yearly average, the quantity of MSW generated on a daily basis is 750MT. We have privatized the door-to-door waste collection from the residential and commercial units. They are collected in Tata’s waste collection vehicles. Agencies such as Centre for Development Communication and P Gopinath Reddy have been awarded waste collection tasks.
VMC has also set up a separate collection, transportation and disposal facility for the biodegradable temple waste such as flowers, coconuts and other offerings. This waste is processed at VMC’s garden. The compost too is used for the garden only.
Apart from that one waste to energy project in PPP mode has been initiated. The suitable land is to be identified for the installation. Also, the first waste processing facility of Atladara is being upgraded for Waste to Energy in agreement with Santo Engineering Ltd, Mumbai.
E-waste
An MoU between VMC and ECS Environment Pvt Ltd, an Ahmedabad-based firm has been signed, under which ECS collects e-waste from the people. ECS even rewards people with cash for trading their old electronic gadgets, including televisions, washing machines, mobile phones, monitors, gaming consoles and other e-wastes, for proper recycling. 12% of the amount fixed against the e-waste goes to the corporate. This e-waste project has been certified by Gujarat Pollution Control Board and the quantum of waste disposed is monitored through audits. As a part of the Mahatma Gandhi Swacchata (cleanliness) Mission and e-Nagar project launched by Narendra Modi, this will help curb the mounting e-waste across the city.
Biomedical Waste
Biomedical waste treatment plant has been set up along with Indian Medical Association (IMA). Approximately, two per cent of the total waste generated is biomedical waste which is handled by an incinerator, auto calving and waste shredding facility. About 800 hospitals and private clinics have been registered under this facility. GPCB monitors the disposal of the biomedical waste. Collection and transportation is done by IMA, and the treatment part is carried out by Quantum Engineering Ltd.
Awareness Campaign
The big challenge remains segregation at source level. VMC organises Information, Education & Communication programmes (ICE), various awareness programs like street plays. The plays depicts the entire methodology of SMW right from the garbage collection, segregation to its disposal. To spread awareness the next phase of ICE program would be initiated soon after Deewali this year.