NLMB imposes fine for non-compliance of norms for waste segregation

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: The North Lakhimpur Municipal Board (NLMB) has initiated various steps to keep the town clean. As a part of such initiatives, NLMB has already started door-to-door garbage collection process and this operation is in progress in all 14 wards from last year July under NLMB area.

NLMB has already suggested to segregate the bio-degradable and non-biodegradable waste and has put major emphasis on informing and educating the residents of the town through mike announcement and door-to-door persuasion to collect the garbage in two separate bins (blue-Dry Waste, Green- Wet Waste) as source segregation of waste is one major component of the Swachchha Bharat campaign and is also the most important component of solid waste management.

But despite several rounds of persuasion, the compliance rate of source segregation has remained abysmally low and hence NLMB has been forced to take enforcement into mission mode. Starting with commercial areas, NLMB Executive Officer has identified 13 major commercial areas in the town and enforcement schedule has been fixed to fine those shops which are not complying with the norms. Absence of both dry and wet waste dustbin with proper marking will attract fine of Rs 500. In this connection, a drive was conducted in Girls' HS School Chariali to Bazaar Tiniali on Friday and further drives have already been scheduled in other areas.

In this regard, NLMB Executive Officer in-charge Pradeep Kumar Dwivedi said that solid waste management was the major focus of the board and the board would initiate everything possible to achieve cent per cent segregation of waste at source.

"Similar drives will be organized in residential areas too. The board is planning to go one step further in technology by installing GPS based tracking system in all 14 waste collection vehicles to ensure proper monitoring and ensure cent per cent coverage of the town. Further, the board is also in the process of installing compost making machine from wet waste so as to make high quality compost organic manure available to citizens at cheap rates. Five plastic collection centres have been installed in the town to nudge people towards throwing plastic in these centres. Such centres are placed in front of Gurudwara, in front of HDFC Bank, Main Chariali of NT Road, near KB Road Masjid and near Thakurbari Temple," said the NLMB Executive Officer in-charge.

Deputy Commissioner of Lakhimpur Dr Jeevan B and the Executive Officer in-charge have appealed to people to extend their full support in making North Lakhimpur a clean town and to make life better for everyone.

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