The new weighbridge at the transit transport station in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, May 27: Expect the quantum of dumped garbage in the neighbourhood to be less as the corporation has constructed a weighbridge to ensure more transparency in disposal of solid waste.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has constructed the weighbridge at the transit transport station for solid waste management behind Sainik School campus so that trucks can carry dumped garbage to its final destination at Bhuasuni according to their actual weight.

The weighbridge will become functional from June 1. The weights and measures officials of the state government will go to the site and inspect the equipment first for the stamping process.

Once a truck or a tractor arrives at the computerised weighbridge, a slip about its exact load will be generated.

The facility that has been built for Rs 6 lakh will ensure that there is no gap between the amount of actual garbage lifted and what is being claimed.

Earlier, disposal of solid waste was calculated according to the number of trips trucks and tractors made from the transit point to Bhuasuni, the final landfill site.

However, after receiving complaints regarding the mismatch about the actual amount of garbage lifted, the authorities in the past had planned to lift the solid waste as per their actual weight.

Officials of the BMC will be deployed near the TTS to monitor the weighing of garbage-laden trucks.

City health officer Chandrika Prasad Das said: “In the past there were several allegations regarding the mismanagement of garbage trips taken from the TTS to Bhuasuni. With the weighbridge in place, the scope to manipulate the trips will be impossible.’’

This will also ensure better disposal of garbage as the computerised system will eliminate the chances of contractors fudging figures to pocket bigger payments, said a BMC official.

To earn better payment, contractors will have to carry more garbage, the official added.

In 2011, vigilance sleuths had found that a contractor had used registration numbers of two-wheelers in bills submitted to the BMC. The contractor had claimed payment of Rs 5.63 lakh against the false bills.

The vigilance probe was ordered to investigate a Rs 40-lakh scam in disposal of solid waste generated in 2010.

The civic body has also constructed a concrete platform at the transit point so that during the temporary deposit and transport of the solid waste the area remains clean and there is no foul smell.

“We have also constructed a six-foot-high boundary wall, which is nearly 800 metres long, to keep the area free from encroachment.

Out of 25 acres of land given to the BMC for the transit station, there is only 15 acres left without encroachment.

“The newly constructed boundary wall will not only help in safe guarding the remaining land, but also in keeping the garbage yard out of people’s gaze,’’ said BMC executive engineer (division II) Ashok Kumar Parida.

The civic body will invest around Rs 1.40 crore to construct the 2,500metre-long boundary wall. The entire area will be covered in another six or seven month’s time. Earlier, the BMC had constructed a concrete approach road measuring 750 metres atan estimated cost of Rs 1.10 crore to connect the transit station with the main road.

“The concrete platform will help us in keeping the ground water safe as it would not allow percolation of waste water into the ground,’’ Parida said.

Presently the city is generating around 400 tonnes of solid waste in a day. After temporary collection of the garbage at the TTS, the tippers and trucks head towards Bhuasuni, at around 24 km away from the city near Chandaka forests for the landfill.