The city’s legacy waste of nearly 3 lakh tonnes is finally set to be cleared through biomining and remediation process for which the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has earmarked funds in the budget for the year 2021-22 presented on Thursday.
Tabled almost a month into the new financial year, the MCC budget has a slew of projects for the city with focus on shoring up the environment.
Announcing some of the projects in the budget M.S. Shobha, chairperson, Standing Committee on Taxation, Finance and Appeal, said the city generates 424 tonnes of waste daily of which 200 tonnes is handled by the centralised waste treatment plant at Vidyaranyapuram while 35 tonnes are handled by the 7 zero waste management units and 15 tonnes of animal waste is sent to the unit at Kesare. The remaining untreated waste has accumulated over the years at the plant at Vidyaranyapuram and has now occupied over 15 acres of land.
The new project will not only help clear the legacy waste but will improve the ambient air quality and environment in general while the land can also be reclaimed. The project is expected to cost ₹14.38 crore against which the budget has earmarked ₹7.02 crore while ₹7.35 crore will be released by the State government.
The budget also proposed to install an unit to extract diesel from plastic for which ₹1 crore has been set aside. Beautification of major circles in the city will receive ₹10 crore and this includes Nanjumalige circle, Ballal circle, and Matrumandali circle apart from the circles at Sharadadevi Nagar, Hebbal, Basavanagudi, K.G.Koppal, St. Anthony Church, and Lorry Terminal.
The budget has also allotted ₹1.5 crore towards the repair of the Clock Tower in front of Town Hall as the heritage structure constructed in 1927 has developed cracks and experts have called for intervention.
The MCC building itself has completed 100 years and ₹5 crore has been earmarked for its beautification and illumination besides erecting the statues of the rulers of the Wadiyar dynasty as a mark of respect to the erstwhile rulers who strived for the development of Mysuru, said Mr. Shoba.
There are 520 parks and lawns in the MCC limits of which 240 are being developed and maintained by the corporation. The rest will be developed into tree parks with the assistance of the Forest Department. The budget has earmarked ₹14 crore for the purpose.
The MCC also expects funds for modernisation of the solid waste treatment plants at Kesare, Vidyaranyapuram, and Rayanakere under the Sustainable Cities Integrated Approach Pilot in India. A set of electric or battery-operated vehicles will also be procured during the current year instead of petrol or diesel vehicles.
Construction of precast manholes, underpass at a cost ₹2 crore near Jaganmohan Palace, development of stadium at Vijayanagar and Railway Layout, covering potholes in the city, installation of cash deposit machine at the MCC, purchase of medical instruments and creating infrastructure to carry out free health check-up for people from economically weaker section of the society are some of the other projects listed in the budget.
