PUNE: With the aim of 100 per cent in-situ organic waste processing within Aundh ward and thereby ensuring 100 per cent segregation at source, Pune Smart City Development Corporation Limited (PSCDCL) is going to implement zero waste project under area-based development. The process of data collection of 90,000 households is in process.
Aundh ward generates around 110 tonnes of waste every day, of which 62.53 tonnes is organic. Around 70 to 90 per cent of the waste gets segregated. Transportation cost of this wet waste is Rs 9.7 crore annually.
The area comprising Aundh, Baner, Balewadi, Pashan, Bopodi and Sutarwadi has 90,000 properties within its jurisdiction, including slum residential, non-slum residential, commercial, institutional, semi-government and government.
PSCDCL CEO Dr Rajendra Jagtap said, “The initiative aims to create a live demonstration zero waste model in ABB (Aundh-Baner-Balewadi) area, which could be replicated across the city. PSCDCL’s vision for the initiative is to minimise movement of solid waste generated in Pune Smart City area to landfill site. Waste should be processed and converted in-situ at decentralised composting or organic waste processing unit.”
100 PC SEGREGATION
A solution to this could be 100 per cent segregation of waste at source. Process wet waste/ organic waste at the source. The cost saved can be utilized for creation of resilient waste management infrastructure. This increases the circular economy, creates green jobs.
This also increases life of the landfill site. For information, education and communication purpose, 30 Swachhata Mitras will be deployed. Their main objective is to encourage waste generators to process organic waste at source. Awareness regarding the whole project and incentive scheme through doorstepping are important tasks of Swachhata Mitra. Centre for Environment Education along with SWaCH Cooperative have been selected through a comparative bidding process.