Distribution of bins for segregation of waste by households has gained traction and many Kolkatans are now keen to get the bins, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials and residents said.
Many centres that are distributing the bins are often seeing long queues outside. A resident of Kasba in south Kolkata said he saw about 50 people in a queue outside a club from where the bins were being distributed on Sunday.
On the road leading to the centre, there were a few others asking the way to it. “There is a visible interest among people in our neighborhood about this new system,” he said.
“We are getting a good response in many places,” said a KMC official.
A resident of north Kolkata’s Sovabazar, where bins were distributed last week, said collection of segregated waste had started in their locality.
Households are supposed to keep bio-degradable or wet waste in green bins and non-biodegradable or dry waste in blue bins.
A leaflet distributed by the KMC says kitchen waste, meat, fruit and vegetable peels, soiled paper and house dust should be kept in green bins. The blue bins are meant for paper, plastic, glass and metal items, cloth rags, packaging material and rubber, among other objects.
Collection carts have also been remodeled. In localities where segregation is yet to start, the carts do not have separate bins or compartments. All the waste is mixed and collected in one place.
In contrast, the collection carts in places where waste segregation by households has started contain three green bins and three blue bins. “The waste has to be segregated inside homes by residents. They will transfer the waste into the bins in collection carts: green bin to green bin, blue bin to blue bin,” said a KMC official.
Arup Chakraborty, councillor of Ward 98, told The Telegraph that two-thirds of the 9,000-odd households in his ward had got their bins. “Residents are segregating waste, though they are occasionally making mistakes. They are keen to learn,” he said.
“Everyone should be aware of the implication of waste segregation. Only an aware and interested population can make this project a success. They will make mistakes initially, but will soon learn to segregate waste properly,” said a KMC official.
The KMC has adopted multiple ways to distribute the bins. In some places, councillors are distributing them by visiting home, and in others, KMC officials have been assigned the task.
Waste segregation is necessary to provide adequate volume of raw materials to recycling plants. If waste gets mixed, potential for recycling is reduced.
METHOD
How to collect the bins
- Bins can be handed to you at your doorstep.
- Waste collector can give you a slip. Take the slip to a distribution centre to collect the bins.
- Ask the waste collector about the centre.
- Visit the ward office or councillor’s office if there is no announcement yet.
- Each will get two bins — blue and green
VINTAGE CAR RALLY
A vintage car rally was flagged off from the Calcutta Rowing Club on Sunday. Held under the aegis of the Automobile Association of Eastern India, altogether 79 cars and 18 motorcycles participated in the rally.
Among the cars was a 1913 Stoewer (in picture) and a 1928 Studebaker President State 8 Limousine. Among motorcycles was a 1926 Panther Sloper. Rolls Royces, Plymouth, Austins were other makes in the rally.
