Bhubaneswar: In response to community outcry over the dumping of garbage near Sainik School in the Odisha capital, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has swiftly taken action by initiating waste processing measures. With the recent implementation of waste management strategies, the BMC has deployed three machines to address the issue effectively.
Additional Commissioner (Sanitation) at BMC, Suvendu Sahu, shared, “The incorporation of a mobile segregator machine and two stationary trommel machines has significantly improved waste management operations. Notably, the segregator has the capacity to process approximately 600 metric tonnes of waste on a daily basis.”
The machines are segregating soil and plastics, and then shredding the waste plastics. Then the both are mixed together to be used to fill potholes across the city.
The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has directed the BMC to provide a report on the situation, following concerns raised by the Anchalika Surakshya Manch, a local social outfit. The group expressed apprehension regarding the deteriorating health conditions of the residents in the area due to the ongoing garbage dumping.
The persisting issue has caused an extensive foul odor, significantly disrupting the lives of residents in Gadakana Mouza, Mancheswar, Dhirikuti slum, VSS Nagar, Rangamatia, and neighboring areas. The growing waste heap at the Temporary Transit Station (TTS) near Sainik School has transformed the area into a substantial dumping ground, posing environmental and health risks for the local population. Furthermore, the health and education of students at neighboring schools, including Sainik School and Kendriya Vidyalaya, have been adversely affected by the ongoing predicament.