The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Salem News : Garbage collection from doorsteps runs into trouble

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 15, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Salem

Garbage collection from doorsteps runs into trouble

Staff Reporter

Inadequate number of pushcarts hamper Salem Corporation's trial run The civic administration is yet to decide on a proper disposal method

SALEM: The Salem Corporation's trial run to collect waste from doorsteps in nine wards has run into trouble due to non-availability of adequate implements.

The civic body had outsourced the services of the self-help groups (SHG) to collect waste from

doorsteps on a trail basis. But it could not be carried out in a full-fledged manner, as the SHG members, who started work on July first week, found that they were not adequately equipped with sufficient number of pushcarts. "The Health Department has just 200 pushcarts to collect waste from 60 wards (4 or 5 for a single ward). With these, the SHG members can collect garbage from only four or five streets in a ward each day. With sufficient number of pushcarts, we can extend the service to all the streets in nine wards," Corporation officials said.

The Corporation Council had permitted the civic administration to purchase more pushcarts. But no supplier had responded to the tender for supplying pushcarts. Hence, the Corporation authorities had decided to purchase stainless steel pushcarts from the Salem Steel Plant (SSP). "We have asked them to prepare a model of stainless steel pushcart. We will purchase them immediately once the Commissioner of Municipal Administration approves the model," the Corporation Commissioner, T.T. Balsamy told The Hindu .

Segregated waste

However, the delay in equipping the SHG members with necessary tools would hold up the expansion of outsourcing to all the 60 wards. Further, the Corporation is not yet ready to deal with segregated waste from nine wards. It is being dumped in the existing yards at Sooramanagalam, Veeranam and Erumapalayam along with 350 tonnes of waste from other wards each day.

Talks with private firm

The civic administration is yet to decide on a proper disposal method. "It is primarily considering a proposal to convert the waste into energy. It has held talks with a private firm, which is producing energy from poultry waste in Namakkal district. But the talks are at an early stage. We are also waiting for the approval from the district administration on using the 190-acre land at Mallamoopanpatti to set up a new dump yard," Corporation officials said.

Meanwhile, residents complained that irregular visit of sanitary workers had left many streets stinking with mounts of garbage.

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