Expecting the city to generate about 22 tonnes of waste from fireworks, Greater Chennai Corporation has put in place a plan to collect it separately and will coordinate with the TN Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to ensure it doesn’t come in contact with regular waste.
The civic body has set aside nine lorries and 10 battery operated vehicles (BOV) specifically for waste from fireworks. It has also assigned water lorries across zones in case of any fires.
“Since October 2, we have been creating awareness on the disposal of waste from fireworks. We have instructed residents to segregate and hand over this waste to conservancy workers who collect it in BOVs. We have also put up posters and shared pamphlets on the same to residents. Sweepers will clear the waste on roads which will be collected separately by BOV operators. Two BOVs in every ward will be allotted for this purpose,” said a representative of Urbaser-Summeet, the contractor in charge of solid waste management in seven zones.
The waste will be handed over to facilities set up in every ward and equipped with fire extinguishers and other safety measures. Later, it would be transported to TNPCB’s Gummudipoondi facility.
Similar procedures will be followed in wards handled by the civic body and Ramky Enviro Engineers. The civic body’s sanitary officials will monitor the entire process.
Last year, Ambattur and Anna Nagar zones generated the maximum waste from fireworks with more than 6 tonnes collected. Workers also collected about one or two tonnes from Kodambakkam and Teynampet zones. Water lorries will also be stationed at the yards in Kodungaiyur and Perungudi and all fire safety measures will be implemented in case some waste from fireworks is mixed with household waste. Corporation officials urged residents and apartment owners to segregate waste properly.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/9-lorries-10-bovs-to-handle-waste-from-fireworks-in-chennai/articleshow/87518869.cms
