MCC Commissioner speaks at two-day Solid Waste Management Expo-2021

Mysuru:  A two-day Solid Waste Management (SWM) Expo-2021 with the theme “Discover Sustainable Solutions for SWM,” began in city this morning. 

The expo, being organised at Hemavathi Auditorium of Administrative Training Institute (ATI) on Lalitha Mahal Road, holds significance as the Swachh Survekshan-2021 has already begun and Mysuru is vying to regain the distinction of being the Cleanest City of India.  

Delivering her presentation on the “Role of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and expectations from stakeholders,” MCC Commissioner Shilpa Nag said that strict enforcement of plastic ban will commence from Apr. 5. 

“It has become inevitable to act tough for enforcing the ban since plastic has been causing a lot of harm to the environment and the MCC is facing day to day challenge of clearing plastic waste. The ban will not only been enforced in Mysuru city, but also in surrounding City Municipal Councils and Town Municipal Councils. We have already conducted a series of meetings to enforce the ban,” she said. 

The MCC would take measures to distribute 5 kg and 10 kg bags to all households in Mysuru including slums and group housing areas. “We will direct hotels, choultries, apartment complexes, gated communities, kalyana mantaps to adopt new technologies to avoid the use of plastic and use paper and cloth bags,” she said. 

In her address, IAS officer and Director of Municipal Administration Bengaluru B.B. Cauvery said that the State Government has identified five City Corporations including MCC for Solid Waste Management and introduce an e-system to streamline waste disposal. Rs. 2.5 crore has been reserved to this effect. 

Lauding the MCC for its efforts in maintaining the overall cleanliness of Mysuru, Cauvery, who is also the Nodal Officer for Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) for Karnataka, suggested that the MCC must hold demonstrations on waste segregation, solid waste management and related subjects at local parks and gardens for awareness. 

Reduce, Recycle & Reuse 

Reduce, Recycle and Reuse is the focus of the two-day SWM Expo-2021 where private players are displaying various methods of managing mounds of solid waste. Products such as bricks, furniture, road tiles can be manufactured out of plastic waste and there were demonstrations to this effect at the event. 

Technologies like polycracker technology that processed mixed garbage and created liquid fuel was demonstrated by company representatives. Methods being adopted by the MCC in collecting waste materials were demonstrated. The main focus of the Expo is to create awareness among masses about the proper and safe disposal of plastics for its efficient recycling. 

On the occasion, three hospitals including the District Hospital (COVID Hospital), three markets, three schools, three hotels and three Resident Welfare Associations were recognised for being the cleanest and for efficiently segregating solid and wet waste.

The expo was inaugurated by Mayor Rukmini Madegowda and Deputy Mayor Anwar Baig. M.S. Shobha, Chairperson of MCC Taxation, Finance and Appeals, Standing Committee, Usha, Chairperson of Public Health, Education and Social Justice, Standing Committee, G.S. Sathyaraj of Town Planning and Improvement, Standing Committee and K. Nirmala, Chairperson of Accounts Standing Committee were present. 

After the formal inauguration, the expo featured day-long technical sessions like introduction to solid waste management rules, sustainable menstrual hygiene, home composting and community composting methods. Tomorrow there will be technical sessions on decentralised waste management in urban areas, best practices and Public-Private-Partnership model in solid waste management.