The Corporators and the officials put pressure on Pourakarmikas to work hard and keep the city clean. However, they are least bothered to find out the problems being faced by the people who keep the city clean. They do not know the strength of the labour force, the shortage of garbage clearing carts and cleaning vans. In our area, every day one-and-a-half load of garbage is collected. However, because of improper facilities to dump, half the load has to be left behind. It has also been advised to fix mike and chip to the garbage vans. But, to this day most of our problems remain unsolved. When this is the condition, how is it possible to clear the garbage properly?

—Jayaram, Pourakarmika  

 Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Health Officer Dr. Nagaraj has announced that wet and dry waste should be segregated at the houses itself and handed over. This process will begin from June 5, the World Environment Day.

He was speaking after participating in the Pourakarmika workshop to train the Pourakarmikas to separate garbage at source, organised here yesterday and said that the Centre had started Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and the Pourakarmikas have a major role to play in this. Hence, the workforce should segregate the waste while collecting from homes itself. If it is not done, then they have to pay fine, he said.

If the surroundings in the city are kept clean, interest is shown to grow trees and plant saplings and if the general health of the public is good, then the observation of World Environment Day becomes meaningful. To achieve this, it is not only the responsibility of the Pourakarmikas but also the public should join hands,                     said Dr. Nagaraj.

Earlier, Solid Waste Management Committee Member Basavaiah, speaking on the occasion, said that Mysuru city has the distinction of reaching the top place in cleanliness in the country. The garbage strewn around should not mar the beauty of the city. Besides, there is no such thing as useless things on this earth. Everything can be recycled and by segregating the waste at source, the waste products can be utilised, he added.

Recycled items: Manure, fuel and gas can be produced using wet waste and these can be used for cooking and running vehicles and producing power and other useful things. Likewise, plastic can be recycled to make cement, diesel and petrol. Added to this, broken glass pieces, rubber, iron, synthetic materials, ceramics can all be recycled and could become revenue-generating sources.

Hence, no items should be considered a waste and discarded. Instead, everyone should come forward to separate them as dry waste, he highlighted.

Harm garbage can cause: If wet waste is mixed with dry waste, then bacteria with poisonous chemicals will be produced. This leads to breathing problems because of the stink it creates. This kind of smell attracts rats and dogs leading to spread of diseases.

Garbage separation oath: Releasing a handbook on segregating waste at source, everyone took oath. On this occasion, it was demonstrated how to put wet waste in green dustbin and dry waste in blue dustbin.

Health Standing Committee Chairman Mahadevappa, Corporator Prashanth Gowda, Nodal Officer Sudha, Zonal Commissioners Nagaraj, Veena, Priyadarshini and nine newly-selected environmental engineers, participated.