CHENNAI: The solid waste department has received 50% less funding than previous years, and there is no mention of improving toilets or basic sanitation. A competition has been announced, and councillors and officials will benefit if their wards are designated as litter-free.
There is a meagre 260 cr allocation this year, down from `424 crore last year. GCC clarified that there was a lot of focus on source segregation and solid waste disposal projects that will be implemented using the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 funds. According to chief engineer N Mahesan, projects worth `1500 crore will be implemented, which include bio-CNG plants, automated mega material facility and waster to energy facility to generate 15mw of electricity. Gagandeep Singh Bedi, corporation commissioner, said. “There is a lot of focus on source segregation and that is why we have proposed to set up colour coded bins and to provide better uniform for GCC maintained wards. They are our priority,”.
Jayaram Venkatesan of Arappor Iyakkam said that the progress on the solid waste management has been slow because of a cut in funding by GCC, and while they have the intention, the allocation states the opposite because unless they spend on infrastructure for solid waste disposal and composting, the city’s dream to be clean will be far-fetched.
