Housing societies and hotels in the city are yet to submit their compliance reports though there are just five days left beffore January 2, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) extended deadline for segregation of waste.
The civic body had initially set October 2 as the deadline for housing societies and hotels generating more than 100 kg of solid waste daily to segregate it under Swacch Bharat Abhiyan’s My Waste, My Responsibility scheme.
However, about 93% of housing societies failed to meet the deadline, forcing the civic body to extend it to January 2, 2018.
The BMC has threatened to stop collecting waste from the housing societies and hotels if they fail to comply with the waste segregation norms before the deadline.
The BMC has found that since the deadline was extended, waste generation across the city’s 24 wards has dropped, from 9,500 metric tonnes to 7,500 metric tonnes per day.
Officers in G Ward said that they held 17 meetings over the last three months to familiarise bulk generators of waste with the scheme. However, 57 housing societies and 22 hotels are yet to set up waste segregation units on their premises.
BMC officials are now gearing up to take legal action against the 22 hotels in G Ward (North and South), which covers Mahim, Dharavi and Dadar, for not paying heed to its notices and warnings. The errant establishments include Shivaji Park Gymkhana, Ganga Vihar Hotel and Gopal Krishna Hotel.
Abhishek Shetty, owner of Ganga Vihar Hotel on Matunga Road, said, “We have written to the BMC clarifying that we don’t fall into the bulk garbage generator category as we dont produce 100 kg of waste every day.”
Sunil Ramchandran, assistant general secretary of Shivaji Park Gymkhana, said, “We are a honorary body and need time to implement any such programme. We are thinking over it and will reach a decision soon.”
‘Ample time given’
However, a senior BMC official from G Ward (South), said, “We have given ample time to citizens, hotels and housing societies over the last three months. Now, there is no room for the argument that they aren’t familiar with the concept. We will take strict action against all establishments that do not fall in line.”
Tanaji Ghag, assistant head supervisor, Solid Waste Management, G Ward (North), said, “We keep convincing hotels to install segregation units, but so far they have been reluctant. They will face the consequences for it after January 2. We won’t register a case against societies for now, but we will stop collecting waste if they do not meet the deadline.”
Meanwhile, a few housing societies, like Gabrial House in Mahim have installed organic fertiliser generating units worth ₹20,000 on their premises. Vijay Ghodekar, of PGR Agro, said, “We have installed these units in three societies for now. We are working on setting up the units in six more societies.”
V. Kwality Co., which manufactures environmental recycling systems, has set up units in 25 establishments in the city. Vikas Kanase, CEO of the firm, said, “The units work on the mechanism of fermentation. Thermophilic bacteria in the system will turn the garbage into organic fertiliser.”
