Over a year ago, 50 colour-coded bins aimed at segregating biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste were placed in thickly populated areas of the city to drive home the message of recycling.
A stand with a green and a blue barrel costing ₹8,000 were put up in Periyar Bus Stand, MGR Bus Stand, KK Nagar 80 Feet Road, Bypass Road, Gokhale Road, Theni Main Road, Alagarkoil Road, Kamaraj Salai, Melur Road, Panagal Road near Government Rajaji Hospital and other places.
However, the large oil barrels which were converted into bins, lie unused or are dumped with unsegregated garbage. V. Singaperumal, the owner of a small-scale business enterprise, says people dump all kinds of waste without consideration into these bins.
M. Rajadarshini, founder of Enlight Trust, a non-governmental organisation, who is associated with the local body on various solid waste management projects, says the Corporation has stopped paying heed to projects involving segregation of waste after the plastic ban was enforced from January 1. “It looks like the local body thinks that it has completed its duties regarding raising awareness of segregating biodegradable from non-biodegradable waste. Though usage of plastic carry bags has come down, usage of other forms of single-use plastic continues,” she says.
Though several campaigns were formulated in the past, no awareness has been raised about waste segregation this year, she says.
A health official of the Corporation says that the local body is continuing is campaign. It is conducting awareness campaigns on waste management in schools and colleges in the city. They receive resource material for these campaigns from the the central information bureau of the Swachh Bharat Mission. “We are yet to get this month’s schedule,” the officer says.
“More awareness needs to raised about waste segregation in the city with a population of 15 lakh people. The green-and-blue segregation model must be popularised among more people,” the officer says.