City residents segregating their household garbage into degradable and non-degradable waste stand a chance to win gold coins henceforth.
The Tiruchi Corporation, which recently launched an ambitious programme aimed at source segregation of solid wastes in the city, will now give away a gold coin every week in an attempt to provide an incentive to residents to adhere to the system.
Since June 5, the Corporation had made it mandatory for city residents and traders to segregate biodegradable and non-degradable wastes at source. It had notified new rules which provides for levying penalties on residents and commercial establishments that fail to comply. However, the civic body had refrained from imposing penalities.
The Corporation has started collecting non-degradable solid wastes exclusively on Wednesdays. Collection of non-degradable wastes has been gradually increasing since the launch of the programme.
This week, about 90.16 tonnes of non-degradable waste was collected in the city. However, the city is to achieve full compliance.
Meanwhile, the Corporation has announced that gold coins would be awarded to one resident, who comply with the system, every week.
The winner would be selected through draw of lots every week. “We hope this will serve as an encouragement and spur more residents to segregate their waste at source. The gold coins are sponsored by Mangal & Mangal Thanga Maligai, a city jeweller. We plan to run the reward scheme for a year,” said Corporation Commissioner N.Ravichandran after the first draw of lot on Wednesday. The first gold coin was won by Selvamani of Valluvar Nagar in ward 12.
Residents, who hand over non-degradable waste separately to sanitary workers, are required to send photographs of the same to the notified Whatsapp number 8489444400. They must also mention their address and mobile phone numbers.
A computerised draw of lots of the entries would be held every Wednesday evening and the lucky winner could walk away with the prize the same day.
