Mangalore: Door-to-door Waste Collection to Replace Garbage Bins - DC
 
Pics: Ramesh Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Nov 15: With a view to keep the city clean, the district administration together with the Mangalore City Corporation have planned to make the city bin-less. As of now, 3-4 bins are placed every kilometre in the city.

Instead, the authorities have made ready plans for door-to-door waste collection and thereby the waste would see immediate disposal. The bins will be reduced gradually till the city is totally free of them.

Addressing a press conference at his office here on Thursday November 15, deputy commissioner Dr N S Channappa Gowda told reporters that after the ban on plastic in the district received overwhelming response, the district administration as per the notice issued by the Lok Adalat, will collect waste from door to door from December 1. The waste collected will be disposed off scientifically.

In case the personnel do not collect waste from a house for many days, a helpline will be initiated through which citizens can inform the same, he said.

The move is applicable in the entire district except Moodbidri and Bantwal taluks. The plan will be implemented in 31 villages out of the 203 gram panchayats in DK zilla panchayat limits. The DC reasoned that the bins would have remained if there were only biodegradable wastes; however, in majority of the cases residents throw waste covered with plastic bags. Hence, the onus of segregation of waste lies on authorities.

"Moreover, Pacchanadi dumpyard can sustain for another 15 years, but if plastics is dumped, it may not last even 5 years," he said.
 
He added that plastic ban was implemented in Delhi in the year 2009 by passing a legislature, while Mumbai saw many seaside areas being inundated due to use of plastic which led to blockage in drainages.
 
The DC said that a meeting with plastic manufacturers of the city was called earlier in the month of August and the latter promised to stop manufacturing plastic below 40 microns. "However, the promise was not fulfilled and even constant raids conducted by MCC did not yield any fruit. But the response from the general public following the ban is commendable," he lauded.
 
He also said that under sections 223, 256 and 431 of Municipal Corporation Act, MCC is authorized to ban objects that harm the environment and its commissioner is authorized to levy a fine of Rs 100 on violators. "The district administration also has authority to ban plastics under sections 290 and 291 of the Indian Penal Code and levy a fine of Rs 200 and order imprisonment for repeated offence," he added.
 
"The people of DK district are law abiding and will not evoke punishment, he said, adding that western countries banned plastic long back.
 
He said rexine bags are the alternatives to carry fish from the market and each bag costs Rs 25 which could be used for 1 year. "Mangalore will be no-plastic zone and boards indicating this to tourists will be put up in places like railway stations and others," he said.
 
He added he had held the first round of talk with the MD of DK Milk Federation who assured that other ways of packaging will be introduced to replace plastic packs.
 
MCC Commissioner Dr Harish Kumar was present at the press meet.