The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) organised a stakeholders’ workshop at the Infosys campus here on Friday for the ‘Clean e-Bhubaneswar’ project.
People belonging to the Government, private sectors and the academia deliberated on strategic solutions for making Bhubaneswar e-waste free.
The project aims at developing a sustainable model for e-waste management in the city with the goal of establishing a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the local Government entities, including BMC, State Pollution Control Board, IT Department and the private sector to address e-waste management challenges.
The Clean e-Bhubaneswar Project is a part of the IFC-European Union Eco-Cities Programme.
The implementation of the project is being undertaken by the consortium of Sofies Sustainability Leaders Pvt. Ltd. and city-based Siddha Development Research and Consultancy.
The workshop highlighted the hazards of e-waste, methods of proper recycling, and opportunities in terms of resource extraction, and the pressing need for appropriate e-waste management and potential options that may be implemented.
MoEF Joint Director Dr AK Gupta spoke about the future burden of e-waste and how a collective effort could make us eradicate that mess if we plan properly and scientifically.
SPCB’s Senior Scientist Dr DK Behera gave the audience an insightful presentation and explanation of the E-waste Management Rules, 2016 and the possible health hazards likely to be created in future.
BMC Zonal Deputy Commissioner (North) Subhranshu Mishra spoke about the requirement of a scientific collection and dismantling of the e-waste and how people are going to face the challenge in growing urban centres like Bhubaneswar.
“The Clean e-Bhubaneswar Project is a unique opportunity that galvanizes support from the city and state government bodies, and proves a working model for e-waste management in cities,” said Ronojoy Sircar of the IFC.
Infosys Facility Head Biswajit Nayak and IFC international consultant Dr. Bernd Kopacek and Viraj Desai also spoke.
On the occasion, the project’s website http://www.cleanebhubaneswar.in and toll-free number 1800-120-2723 were launched.