At last, a solution to manage building waste on the anvil

Mysore/Mysuru: For Sustainable Materials Management (SMM), the Standing Committee on Works of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has agreed to set up a unit to deal with Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste which has become a big headache to deal with it. It will be a joint venture project between the MCC and a private firm.

The Works Committee meeting held here in the Old Council Hall here on Thursday and took this decision. The same will be tabled before the General Body meeting where members will deliberate. Once approved, the work on identifying a suitable land will begin.

In the absence of proper management, construction and demolition materials consist of the debris generated during the construction, renovation and demotion of buildings within the city and the surrounding villages, are dumped on both the sides of Ring Road, tank area, vacant plots and roadside. This was not only a health hazard but also marring the beauty of the city.

Susthira Foundation President Ramesh Kikkeri and other like-minded persons have come forward to manage the C&D waste. In return, the MCC has agreed to give a piece of land as well as to co-operate with the Government to deal with this issue. The project was explained before the Work’s committee meeting and got the approval.

Ramesh Kikkeri told SOM, “the Ring Road is stinking. The building waste is dumped everywhere including tank area or vacant plot. There is no meaning to sit and wait for the Government to do everything. As citizens of the city, they need to keep Mysuru clean. In the wake of this, the company has submitted C&D waste management scheme.”

He said C. Shikha, who was former Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru, had identified eight acres of land for the building waste management. The waste is dumped there and other items like sand, stone, soil, glass and iron are separated in crusher plant. Later, the nice powder can be used for bricks and also  for readymade concrete. There is a scope for the reuse of iron materials. Rules prescribe using reused materials in Government works. Even Builders’ Association of India (BAI), Nirmithi Kendra, Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and others have promised help. MCC Commissioner Gurudatta Hegde is giving full co-operation, he added.