‘Ban on plastic carry bags in Udupi from September 1

• `80 lakh earmarked for solid waste management, says Udupi CMC chief

 

Udupi, 17 Aug 2012: CMC President Kiran Kumar said that use of plastic carry bags will be completely banned from the city limits from September 1 or from September 15.

 

Speaking at a public interaction programme organised by Consumer Forum, the CMC President said that Rs 75 lakhs to Rs 80 lakhs have been earmarked to take up proper management of solid waste.

 

Most of the times, the waste is thrown on either side of the stretch instead of giving it to the members of SHGs who come for door-to-door collection.

 

Each house will be given two waste buckets to segregate the dry and wet waste from the house itself. There are also plans to collect waste free of cost from the houses and only commercial set-ups will be charged, he said.

 

However, at present, a nominal amount is charged by the waste collectors. Door-to-door collection of waste will be strictly introduced. “We collected as many as 315 kgs of plastic recently when we raided the shops and other outlets.

 

The CMC has plans to set up bio-methanolgy and waste energy plants to make use of solid and wet wastes,” he said.

 

He said that enough measures will be taken in future to avoid water problems during summer.

 

Lack of rainfall and absence of mechanised desilting work in the Baje dam catchments areas had added to the woes of water scarcity. The House has approached court against government’s decision of not going for mechanised desilting of tanks and ponds.

 

“We had already written to the Deputy Commissioner during October and March demanding for mechanised desilting of the Swarna River in catchment area,” he said.

 

He said the CMC will take precautionary measures once the capacity of the inner flow of Swarna River reduces in the catchment area. “Although we may not be in a position to provide 24 hours water supply during May, we will see that there will be no shortage of water to the people in the city,” he added.

 

Retorting to a query on illegal and also commercial constructions in the city, the president said that it is the Fire Department that issues NOC to the people, for constructing the building followed by the approval of Town Planning Authority.

 

According to an estimate, there are 23 commercial and also apartment constructions going on in the city.

 

Set back area depends on the dimension of the site, he added.

 

Replying to another query over several manhole openings in the midst of the stretches, Kiran Kumar said that measures will be taken to lessen the problems created due to manhole openings in the middle of the roads.

 

He also assured to take strict measures over the lack of maintenance of public toilets especially in government bus stop and also in service bus stop.

 

He said the company in charge will be penalised if hygiene and cleanliness in the area is not maintained.