The city Corporation has cut down on its purchase order for bio-compost kitchen bins to process biodegradable waste due to low number of applicants.
As per an agenda item presented at the Corporation Council meeting here on Friday, it was earlier decided to purchase 25,000 such bins to promote waste treatment at source in city households. However, due to lukewarm response to call for applications, the initial order has been reduced to 5,000 now.
The civic body also decided to choose the second respondent to the expression of interest (EOI) call for purchase of kitchen bins after the Local Self-Government department (LSGD) blacklisted the first respondent. Based on the EOI responses, the purchase committee had carried out negotiations with Ram Biologicals in July last year. However, in August, the LSGD blacklisted the company. The Corporation has now decided to choose IRTC, the second respondent. The company will be providing kitchen bins at a rate of ₹1,525 per bin.
The Corporation has for the past few years been attempting to promote the use of kitchen bins in households as part of its focus on waste management at source. In the initial years, the bins were even provided free of cost for many residents to popularise it. However, the earlier failed experiments with pipe composting in households have prevented many from adopting it.
For technical support in setting up and maintaining kitchen bins, Haritha Karma Senas have been appointed in several wards. The senas will provide the periodic supply of inoculum and also help in maintenance. Lack of inoculum supply and delay in maintenance had earlier led to people stopping the use of pipe composting and kitchen bins.
The three-layered kitchen bins could be used to treat biodegradable waste of a family of five for an average of two months at a time.
