Reported by Mrinal Banik

Agartala: Twenty urban areas of Tripura, excluding the newly constituted Bishramganj Nagar Panchayat, generate 352.78 metric tonnes of solid waste every day, of which around 57.18 per cent is scientifically processed, the state Assembly was informed on Thursday.

The information was provided in a written reply laid in the Assembly by Chief Minister Manik Saha, who is in charge of the Urban Development Department, in response to an unstarred question jointly raised by newly elected BJP MLA Jahar Chakraborty of Dharmanagar and Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman.

According to the reply, around 57.18 per cent of the solid waste generated daily in the state’s urban areas is scientifically processed.

The government said ward-wise Women Self-Help Groups have been linked with the waste collection system in every urban area. Door-to-door collection of segregated dry and wet waste at source is currently being carried out, it said.

The reply said Secondary Segregation Sheds have been established in each urban area by linking two to three wards. Waste collected from households is first taken to the respective Secondary Segregation Shed and subsequently, the wet waste is sent to Integrated Material Recovery Facility-cum-Composting Facilities.

The waste is scientifically processed, recycled and recovered at these facilities, according to the government.

The reply also provided details of the allocation made for improving waste management during the current financial year. It said Rs 39 crore has been allocated to the Agartala Municipal Corporation for the purpose.

The allocation will be used by the Agartala Municipal Corporation to procure four steer loaders, four trippers, four cesspool vehicles, two vehicle-mounted suction machines, 400 push carts and 50 three-wheeler/four-wheeler electric autos for door-to-door waste collection.

The government said the tendering process for procurement of the equipment and vehicles is currently under way.

The reply did not specify the percentage of the Rs 39 crore allocation that has been spent so far.