As Tiruchi City Corporation has set December 1 as the deadline for commercial establishments to collect and dispose waste by themselves, hoteliers have requested for more time to arrive at alternative options.
The Corporation, based on the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, published by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has asked the bulk waste generators, generating more than 100 kgs of waste to manage it on their own. The bulk waste generators will have to segregate the waste into bio-degradable, non-biodegradable and domestic hazardous waste in suitable bins.
They will then have to process the biodegradable waste on their premises and develop a system to reuse the product of the process – compost or biogas.
The generators can, however, handover the dry waste to the civic body and domestic hazardous waste to authorised waste collectors. The Guide Book has authorised local bodies to identify bulk waste generators and issue notices to them seeking compliance.
More time sought
A section of hoteliers in the city, however, are requesting more time and assistance.
“We had written to the previous corporation commissioner asking for a way to dispose of the biodegradable waste. He had instructed us to hand it out to pigsties, but none exist in the city. In cities like Madurai, the civic body has identified a designated space for the commercial establishments to dump waste from where it is sent to composting yards. The case of Tiruchi is different,” said G. Renganathan, president, Tiruchi District Hotels Association.
Speaking to The Hindu , City Corporation Commissioner S. Sivasubramanian said that the original deadline for all bulk waste generators across the country was April 2016.
“The commercial establishments must focus on reducing their waste. Taking active steps to segregate waste will help in managing it too,” he said.
Nearly 30% of the city’s daily waste- which is 430 tonnes comes from bulk waste generators, he said.
Mr. Sivasubramanian insisted that the city should emulate the solid waste management model of Tirunelveli.
“Within months Tirunelveli was able to deal with 100% of its waste at source. It has undertaken various waste segregation initiatives and has been praised by the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and the US Green Building Council. It is possible, small habitual changes are required,” he added.
