Bhubaneswar, November 23: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has set a target of making eleven Micro Composting Centres (MCCs) in the capital city functional by first week of December. Each MCC has the processing capacity up to five tonne per day. These facilities will convert wet or bio-degradable waste into compost and can greatly help in addressing waste management issues in the city.
As of now, four MCCs – one each at Nicco Park for Ward No – 55, Laxmi Sagar for Ward No – 32 and 33, Unit – VIII for Ward No -51 and another at the Temporary Transit Centre (TTS) near Sainik School for Ward No – 12 and 17 – are operational. While MCCs at TTS, Nicco Park, Laxmi Sagar can process waste up to 5 tonnes per day, the capacity of Unit – VIII is 3 tonnes per day.
Seven others which will be made functional by first week of December include at Unit – VIII for Ward No – 47 with a capacity of 5 tonnes per day (TPD), Prashanti Vihar for Ward No – 1 and 2 having capacity of 5 TPD, Pandra for Ward No – 18 and 19 (5 TPD), Laxmi Sagar for Ward No – 31 and 42 (5 TPD), Nicco Park for Ward No – 36 (3TPD), Nicco Park for Ward No – 28 and 29 (5 TPD) and at Bargarh for Ward No – 45 having capacity of 5 TPD.
Besides, the Statetate’s largest civic body is also planning to make functional of another 10 MCCs by end of December.
“We are working relentlessly to start operation of as many as MCCs in the city soon after completion of its construction and getting necessary manpower to run these facilities. These MCCs will ensure that wet or bio-degradable waste generated from the households are processed and converted into compost,” said Suvendu Kumar Sahu, Deputy Commissioner (Sanitation), BMC.
The BMC has roped in Swaccha Sathis selected from various women self-help groups (SHGs) are provided training on how to handle segregated biodegradable waste, shred and process it to make compost. After training, the Swaccha Sathis will produce compost from the waste which will be sold in the markets at nominal prices. Proceedings from the sales will be used for development of their MCCs and payment or wages of Swaccha Sathis. As per the plan one SHG will be attached to each MCC. Four of its members will work as Swachh Sathis.
Meanwhile, the civic body is carrying out a campaign in the city to sensitize residents on source segregation of waste for effective management of Micro Composting Centres (MCCs) at ward level. As part of the campaign officials of BMC sanitation wing visited households and markets across the city to educate people about segregating waste at their end.
Swachh Sathis will act as change agents to bring about collective behavioural changes at the household level for door-to-door collection of segregated waste and ensure decentralised composting of wet waste and collection of dry waste.
