Thiruvananthapuram: The garbage trucks plying the city roads may soon sport a cleaner look. The City Corporation is working on a project to set up an automated service station for its fleet of garbage vehicles.
The Rs.50-lakh proposal is to be submitted to the District Planning Committee for approval. The Corporation is planning to utilise its Plan fund outlay and own funds to finance the project. The steering committee of the Corporation has already approved the proposal and efforts are on to identify the land to set up the facility.
Chairman of the standing committee on Health G.R. Anil said the automatic service station would obviate the need for manual cleaning. “The trucks are loaded with garbage and parked at specific locations in the city for the whole day because their operation to the garbage treatment plant at Vilappilsala is confined to night. The garbage starts rotting inside the vehicles, leading to heavy stench. After the night trip, the trucks return in the early morning, by which time, they have to be deployed again for collection. There is very little time for cleaning. That is why we decided to go in for an automatic system in which the vehicle is driven into a service bay where it is cleaned by multiple water jets and mechanically-operated brushes.”
Shredding machines
Simultaneously, in a move aimed at managing the menace caused by plastic waste, the Corporation has drawn up plans to install shredding and bailing machines at three locations in the city.
The local body is also close to finalising a permanent location to park its fleet of garbage trucks. “We are awaiting the transfer of land from the government to set up the facility,” an official said. Ever since the Putherikandam Maidan at East Fort was closed for renovation work, the garbage vehicles have been parked at various locations, inviting the ire of local people.
Mr. Anil welcomed the order issued by the Ombudsman for Local Self-Government Institutions last week, directing the Vilappil panchayat to cooperate with the transport of garbage in air tight lorries during daytime. Civic officials feel that the automatic service station, the permanent parking lot for garbage vehicles and the daytime operation of lorries would together go a long way in solving the garbage problem in Thiruvananthapuram city.
Meanwhile, the Corporation is planning to start work on modernising the wholesale fish market at Pangode shortly. Last week, the High Court had issued an order permitting the Corporation to go ahead with the project. The foundation stone is to be laid this month. Work on an effluent treatment plant for the market has already started.
source: The Hindu 12 July 2010
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