Sunday, 3 January 2016

Oh ho... so much wastes

              In 2008, Durgapur ranked 1st in India for solid waste management. At that time, a waste-to-energy conversion plant had been operational ( at Arrah, near Bidhan Nagar), which converted biodegradable solid wastes to energy. 

              Unfortunately, the company ceased operations at the plant after a few years on the ground that D.M.C. could not supply adequate wastes everyday as had been mentioned in the agreement. As such, in recent years, tackling of the solid wastes has raised the eyebrows of the municipal authorities, much to the dissatisfaction of the residents of Durgapur. 

              To meet the people's demand as well as to ensure a smarter, cleaner future, the waste-handling plant must be restarted and rejuvenated in a Public Private Partnership model ( may be with the same or a different company). As far as the question of non-biodegradable wastes go, a very effective solution is the concept of plastic roads( as I have already stated in one of my previous blogs). Another solution is R.D.F.( refuse derived fuel)-- applicable for non-recyclable plastics.

             Not only Vats but also a large number of garbage-bins must be placed along important streets of Durgapur (in the footpaths) at regular intervals (say, quarter a kilometre in crowded places) under the Swachch Bharat Mission of the Central Government. The foochkawallahs and other street-hawkers as well as shopkeepers must be strictly instructed to swipe off the garbage from around their stalls and throw them into the dustbins. Heavy fines should be levied on them otherwise. Civic volunteers should be entrusted with such duties.

              Moreover, as already proposed by DMC, Plasma Technology for Waste to Energy will have to be used regularly.

               Only then can we dream of a SMART CITY.

Tuesday, 29 December 2015

Plastic Roads

 Jamshedpur Utility and Services Company (JUSCO) has made a record by first making plastic roads using WASTE PLASTIC. The authority has made up about 12 to 15 kilometre of roads as well as widened 22 roads using the environmentally-friendly technology.
This technology, originally patented by Thiagarajar College of Engineering (TCE), Tirupparankuram, Madurai  has proved to be very effective in managing solid non-biodegradable( plastic ) wastes as well as reducing cost of construction, maintenance and reducing dependence on BITUMEN (commonly known as ASPHALT).
For every 1 kilometre long and 4 metre wide road using this technology, one tonne of bitumen costing Rs 50,000 is saved, according to some reliable sources.
Plastic roads have about twice the life of bitumen roads, are water resistant, can withstand heavier loads and are chemically less affected by penetrating agents. In fact, plastic bottles, poly-bags, nylon roads etc. can be reused in this process.

Thus, Durgapur can follow Jamshedpur by taking up this GREEN INITIATIVE as one of its SMART PROCESSES.