The government has sanctioned battery operated vehicles for waste collection in town panchayat areas.
A total of 46 vehicles would be distributed to 23 town panchayats in Dindigul district including Chinnalapatti, Batlagundu, Nilakottai, Ayyalur, Vadamadurai, Thadikombu, Ayakudi, Agaram, Ammayanaickanur, Neikkarapatti, Keeranur, Sriramapuram, Kannivadi and Sithayankottai.
The vehicles arrived on Thursday. Every town panchayat would get two vehicles. Waste collection is expected to be easier and faster. Every vehicle can run for a distance of 10 km after charging it for an hour and are energy efficient. So far, only tricycles were used for waste collection in these areas,” said Assistant Director Town Panchayats R. Gururajan.
The vehicles, like load autorickshaws, have been made by a Coimbatore-based automobile company, each at a cost of ₹ 1.80 lakh. “The vehicles have been given under solid waste management scheme of the state government. The number of vehicles per town panchayat may get increased in future depending on the size and population of the area. Now, Chinnalapatti is the largest town panchayat in this district,” he said.
“Waste collection and segregation in town panchayats are being done by women self-help groups who walk at least for six km daily to do the job. The vehicles can enter narrow lanes. The waste is segregated into biodegradable and non-biodegradable. We have a compost in all these panchayats to prepare natural manure by using biodegradable waste,” he added.
