MUMBAI: To encourage better management of construction and demolition waste in the city, the BMC plans to cut the collection fee by half to Rs 200 from Rs 400 per tonne.
Mumbai produces 8,500 tonnes of construction and demolition (C&D) waste daily, but BMC’s two collection facilities in Dahisar and Shilphata, which began operations last year, are working at half their capacity.
“The BMC has two plants for processing construction and demolition waste, each having a capacity to process 600 tonnes a day. However, they are currently operating at only half their full capacity,” said deputy municipal commissioner Kiran Dighavkar, who is in charge of the solid waste management department, on Thursday at a media interaction organised by NGO Asar on understanding the construction and demolition sector and air pollution connection.
“We feel that people are probably hesitant to make use of the facilities owing to the rate that we are charging. Therefore, we are considering slashing the rates for collecting per tonne of C&D. We also feel that this would help curb illegal dumping of debris to an extent,” said Dighavkar, adding that govt data shows that over one-third of the waste at the dumping ground is construction and demolition waste, which wasn’t mandatory to be processed prior to 2016.
Rakesh Kumar, president of the Society for Indoor Environment, emphasised the role of awareness in managing C&D waste. “Communication is key,” he said. “Individuals and housing societies need to be informed about how to properly dispose of C&D waste.”
Kumar also pointed out that the city’s deteriorating air quality levels cannot be attributed only to construction activity.
At the discussion, Dr Lancelot Pinto, consultant pulmonologist and epidemiologist, said the number of patients with prolonged cough and viral infections is much higher than before.
Mumbai generates 6,500 tonnes of waste every day, which goes to the Deonar and Kanjurmarg landfills. Of the garbage generated daily, 72.6% is food waste (organic-wet waste); 3.51% is dry waste like wood and cloth; 17.37% consists of sand, stone, and fine earth; 3.24% is plastic, and 3.28% is recyclables.
