For the last few days, a cross-section of residents of ward 41 of Vellore Corporation have been segregating waste at home, signalling the start of the much-needed source segregation of garbage.
After facing stiff opposition from public against dumping of garbage at its 90-year-old dump yard at Sadupperi and earmarked sites, the Corporation has now initiated source segregation of waste to put in place a proper solid waste management system.
Last week, it reached out to residents of two wards 39 and 41 to segregate waste into biodegradable and non-biodegradable at home. About 50 students of D.K.M. College for Women, Corporation staff and officials visited households in and around Sainathapuram to take this initiative forward. Pamphlets were distributed to residents.
“We covered 2,000 households in the two wards, with a population of 18,000 persons. We asked the residents to keep biodegradable waste such as vegetable waste and non-biodegradable waste such as plastic separately.
In addition, we asked them to pack sanitary pads separately and give to the sanitary workers,” an official of the Corporation said.
Soon after this, the initiative took off in ward 41 as cross-section of residents started to segregate garbage at home. “The Corporation’s sanitary workers are collecting the segregated garbage from the households everyday. We have provided seven tricycles with green and red bins for biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste respectively,” he added.
During the interaction with residents, at least 85 per cent were ready to segregate the household waste, he said, adding, “The biodegradable waste is now going into the compost yard near DKM College and will be converted into manure.”
On Monday, a similar effort to reach out to residents will be taken up in ward 16 in Kagithapattarai area. “Source segregation of garbage has taken off but it will take sometime for residents to accept and change,” an official said.
Officials said this will slowly expand to cover all 60 wards of the Corporation.
“We have placed orders for 200 tricycles and push carts. This will be extended to the entire Corporation in a phased manner. We will first create awareness among public and later see that it is enforced,” he said.
Vellore Corporation’s Commissioner Janaki Raveendran said they have started to segregate the waste at compost yards in seven locations, including at Gandhi Nagar, Kazhinjur, Pallikuppam, Bagayam, near DKM College and Shenbakkam.
Following public protests against garbage dumping at Sadupperi, the Corporation had evolved a de-centralised garbage disposal system.
“We had planned for compost yards in 42 locations across the 60 wards. While the yards at seven locations are being used, the facility is under construction at the remaining locations,” she said.
