Srinagar, April 17: The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has made a significant upgrade to the city's solid waste management infrastructure, adding 150 new collection and transportation vehicles, and implementing a GIS-based and real-time GPS-monitored segregated waste collection system, officials said today.
The SMC has initiated the removal of dumpsters and bins from the city to achieve a garbage-free and dumpster-free city, they said.
Commissioner of SMC, Athar Aamir Khan, has issued a revised schedule for the deployment of garbage collection vehicles across the city, with the aim of ensuring 100% collection of segregated dry and wet waste. The new vehicles include 100 light motor vehicles for door-to-door primary collection and around 50 heavy motor vehicles with modern compactors for secondary transportation.
All the vehicles are equipped with GPS devices for real-time monitoring. GIS mapping and geo-fencing have been done to ensure efficient and timely waste collection at the area and ward level. The Integrated Solid Waste Management IT System under the Smart City project will enable comprehensive monitoring, with features like live location tracking, route and time deviation alerts, grievance redressal, and quality assurance tools.
The initiative will cover all households and commercial establishments, including shops in Srinagar city. SMC is closing down all the garbage vulnerable points and prohibiting the deposit of waste at such points. Instead, the public and commercial establishments shall hand over the waste to SMC's vehicles only.
In case the garbage collection vehicle doesn't come on time or misses a location, the public can contact the local ward level officers or the SMC control room. The contact details of the concerned officials and vehicles deployed in each area have been shared with the public.
The success of this initiative is dependent on the participation and cooperation of the general public. Segregated waste collection will help SMC manage the waste at the Achan site better. SMC is also working on the project for the removal of legacy waste and biomining and bioremediation of existing waste at its Achan Landfill site, with funding projected under SBM 2.0.
