The Hindu : Front Page : Plastic roads to be laid in 12 town panchayats

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 04, 2008
ePaper

Front Page

Front Page

Plastic roads to be laid in 12 town panchayats

S. Vijay Kumar

Pilot project will be launched on Pongal day

— Photo: K. Ganesan (File Photo)

practical solution: Scientists testing road-bearing capacity of a plastic road laid at Vilacheri in Madurai.

MADURAI: In a bid to make optimum utilisation of garbage generated in residential areas and commercial establishments, the district administration has adopted a scientific approach in solid waste management.

According to Collector S.S Jawahar, steps have been taken to lay plastic roads in 12 town panchayats using plastic wastes with technical support from Thiagarajar College of Engineering (TCE) here. Non-governmental organisations have been appointed to undertake door-to-door collection of wastes in these town panchyats, to be followed by segregation, storage and scientific disposal.

“The pilot project will be launched on Pongal day in Harveypatti, Palamedu, Sholavandan, A. Vallalapatti, Ezhumalai and Vadipatti town panchayats. Experts from TCE, Exnora International and Centre for Environmental Sciences have agreed to implement the plan in a phased manner. We have also involved the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and local body engineers in the exercise,” he said.

Existing sanitary workers in town panchayats would be exposed to effective solid waste management techniques. Adequate infrastructure, including vehicles, dumping yard and manpower, would be made available. “We want to ensure that town panchayats become ‘zero garbage’ zones. Officials have been told specifically that the garbage disposal and plastic reuse techniques must not cause pollution at all,” Mr. Jawahar said.

Concept, a success

The concept of collecting wastes at the doorstep of residents, already in practice in nine wards at Tirunagar here, evoked a good response, he added.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page