BMC to reassess waste pickup collection charges as ‘debris-on-call’ facillity draws poor response

In its submission to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), information disposable with the BMC estimated that Mumbai generates 8,500 metric tonnes of operation discarded per day. This is importantly higher than its regular garbage postulation which is pegged astatine 6,500 metric tonnes per day.

To process the discarded operation and demolition waste, the BMC has developed 2 processing plants — 1 successful Dahisar and different successful Shilphata — some of which became operational past year, each with a capableness to process 600 metric tonnes of debris.

In Mumbai, wherever galore infrastructure and operation works are mushrooming, the discarded is collected done the ‘debris-on-call’ initiative, wherein citizens telephone the civic assemblage to cod the waste. Besides this, the BMC besides chiefly collects unclaimed heaps of debris discarded crossed the city. Meanwhile, different bulk generators of debris are operation projects specified arsenic Metro worksites.

However, 2 months since the plants became operational, the facilities person lone processed 10,400 metric tonnes of discarded frankincense far. Officials said that portion astir of the processed discarded comprises unclaimed debris collected by BMC, it has lone received 220 calls for the installation that treats the operation and demolition waste.

Kiran Dighavkar, lawman municipal commissioner (solid discarded management), BMC said to acquaint and promote citizens with the facility, the BMC is eyeing to trim the postulation rates to Rs. 200.

“We are moving connected the connection to trim the rates arsenic the unauthorised lobbies, which are precise strong, connection to cod the discarded astatine precise inexpensive rates. However, these cheaper alternatives often discard the discarded without attraction oregon dump them successful the mangroves oregon successful an unauthorised location. To guarantee that much radical usage the C&D processing plants, we are discussing plans to trim the rates for astatine slightest the archetypal 2 – 3 years,” said Dighavkar astatine an lawsuit organised by ASAR connected Thursday.

With the existent facilities being capable to grip little than 10 per cent of the city’s full operation and demolition waste, the BMC is besides moving connected expanding their cumulative attraction capableness to 1,500 metric tonnes per day.

According to Dighavkar, unauthorised operation is among the biggest root of operation and demolition discarded generation. “Currently, operation discarded comes from the interior designing discarded of homes, redevelopment projects arsenic good arsenic infrastructure enactment crossed the city. However, the biggest root of this debris is the unauthorised constructions specified arsenic successful the slum pockets wherever caller floors are added to smaller structures illegally.”

Data furnished by the elder BMC serviceman showed that debris from construction-related activities relationship for 30 per cent of the bequest discarded astatine the Deonar dumping facility.

In the lawsuit held connected Thursday, civic officials, on with doctors and biology scientists, discussed the interaction of operation and demolition discarded connected aerial pollution.

Citing research, Dr. Rakesh Kumar of Society for Indoor Environment (SIE) said successful astir developed countries specified arsenic the UK, Australia among others, the percent of operation and demolition discarded recycling is implicit 80 percent astatine least.

Meanwhile, advisor pulmonologist and epidemiologist Dr. Lancelot Pinto said vulnerability to operation particulate has been linked with cerebrovascular disease, COPD, respiratory infections, asthma, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease, cancers similar stomach, rectal and esophageal cancer, tegument symptoms among different diseases. “Research besides shows that lung relation successful India is implicit 1/3rd little than its different counterparts,” helium added.