Launched last year to mark PM Modi’s birthday, plan shelved now as MCC does not find ‘value’ 

Mysore/Mysuru: Thousands of kilograms of e-waste collected from houses, commercial and business establishments in city have not so far been disposed of and the waste is still lying with the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) as the civic body has found ‘no real value’ in disposing of the electronic waste to companies who have come forward to take the waste. As such, the MCC has stopped collecting e-waste from houses. 

Speaking at the monthly meeting of Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) in city recently, MCC Environment Engineer Madhukar said that the e-waste collected from the nook and corner of the city on 17th of every month has not been disposed of. 

“MCC had called for companies for expression of interest to dispose of e-waste and over four to five firms had expressed willingness to dispose of e-waste. After assessment, the MCC found that there was no real value recovery and hence it did not materialise,” he stated. 

The system of e-waste collection in Mysuru was launched in city on Sept. 17 last year as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday. The collected waste includes batteries, computers, keyboards, mobile phones, obsolete electronic equipment, television sets, tube lights, chargers and printers. 

“We have discontinued the practice of e-waste collection. E-waste cannot be given to any other individuals as it has to be handled only by authorised persons. MCC is taking the help of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board to dispose of the e-waste. They come under the category of hazardous waste and should be managed separately. But since no facility is available in Mysuru, these waste which reach processing plants eventually end up in landfill sites,” Madhukar said. 

Garbage hurdles

On garbage collection, Madhukar said that Mysuru city produces around 450 tonnes of garbage every day and 90 to 95 percent of the garbage is centrally processed at Excel Solid Waste Management Plant at Vidyaranyapuram. 

“Waste treatment plants at Zone 1 and 2 Vidyaranyapuram and J.P. Nagar are functioning, Zone 3 is in University of Mysore campus and the operation is outsourced for garbage produced within the campus, in Zone 4 Gokulam which is next to the crematorium, the plant is not functioning due to resistance from local residents and in Zone 5 Kumbarakoppal, it is a ‘Model Plant’ and is working efficiently,” he revealed. 

Kesare plant not working

The Zone 6-7 waste treatment plant at Jodi Thenginamara is not operational to its full capacity and MCC has plans to restart operations. Zone 8-9 plant at Kesare is also operational but due to its own operational problems the plant is not workings to its capacity. “The MCC has already floated tenders for setting up Kesare Compost Plant of 200 tonnes per day capacity,” Madhukar added. 

The MCC has 43 dry waste collection centres spread across the city. Full-fledged material recovery facility (MRF) is not available in Mysuru,” he added. 

However, MCC Health Officer Dr. D.G. Nagaraju told Star of Mysore that the MCC has not stopped e-waste collection on the 17th of every month. “Electronic waste is being collected in six zones. Of course, the collection has declined of late. We have stored the e-waste in many zero waste management plants and the waste will be auctioned once in six months,” he said.