Bhubaneswar: The housing and urban development department has asked the civic body to collaborate with the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) and various other agencies to upgrade the city's sanitation standards.
While reviewing the sanitation activities of various urban local bodies of the state last week, the urban development department suggested measures to keep the environment clean and green. "We have suggested steps to officials based on which activities will be taken up," said an official of the urban development department.
To begin with, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation will collaborate with the OSPCB and complete the steps it had taken to implement the new solid waste management rules.
The civic body has identified 146 bulk waste generators in Bhubaneswar who generate more than 100kg of waste every day. Such bulk waste generators will be asked to manage their waste by themselves. Besides, steps will also be taken for collection of user charges from households for segregation and transportation of waste and setting up of compost plants near Sainik School.
The municipal corporation has also been directed to follow the Odisha Sanitation Policy and Strategy modelled on the Swachh Bharat Mission by the housing and urban development department last year.
The policy aims to transform the state into a community driven, healthy and liveable place.
The department was reviewing the activities of all the 114 urban local bodies of the state when it was revealed that door-to-door collection of waste was initiated in 1,757 wards out of a total 2,004 wards across the state. Some 17,640km of urban roads, which is about 69 per cent of the total length of the state's roads, are being swept daily.
"We have been performing well in maintaining the city's sanitation. But still, there are some areas that need to be covered. We will hold a meeting to get local data and take steps accordingly to keep Bhuba-neswar clean and green. We will also amend our city sanitation plan according to requirements," said mayor Ananat Narayan Jena.
