Ranchi, Nov. 12: State urban development minister C.P. Singh today inaugurated a mini garbage dumping and transfer station spread over 10 decimal land in Khelgaon, Ranchi, to prevent open disposal in the area.

The minister, who also flagged off a couple of compactor vans, said he hoped that utility firm Essel Infra, selected for the capital's solid waste management, would fulfil its mandate properly. "It's high time we all came together to make the city and our homes clean," he said, promising full cooperation from the government to keep Ranchi tidy and clean.

Deputy mayor Sanjeev Vijayvergia said the waste station was one of a dozen such facilities proposed by the civic corporation to ensure a better solid waste management system in Ranchi. Coming after a similar dump yard that debuted in Morabadi a few months ago, today's garbage transfer station is the second one in the city, he added.

Vijayvergia further said earlier garbage collected door-to-door used to be dumped in open fields, causing pollution. "Open garbage yards easily become a feasting place for stray animals like cows and dogs, who litter the areas and spread germs. Further, rainwater washes away garbage from open dump yards and dirty the nearby spots," he explained.

Now, Essel Infra is setting up a mini garbage dumping and transfer station for a cluster of every three-four wards in a phased manner. These dump yards will be fully mechanised and covered from all side to prevent spilling of garbage or spread of bad odour. Closed vehicles, loaded with garbage collected from households, will dump the waste at the mini stations. Later, big mechanised vehicles (compactors) will transport the accumulated waste to the central collection centre in Jhiri on the outskirts of capital Ranchi.

"At the central centre, the municipal will be treated and converted into dry ash and fertiliser," the deputy mayor added.

While the Morabadi station caters to ward 1 to 4, the Khelgaon yard will take care of ward 6 to 8. A similar facility was expected to come up in Kantatoli near Khadgara bus stand which would cater to ward 9-12.

"We are trying our best to cover all the 56 wards in the capital by the end of this year to end open dumping and streamline garbage collection. Thereafter, work on disposal and treatment of waste will start," he said.