Govt making efforts through creative waste management strategies for environmental sustainability: Lt Guv

Jammu, Jul 16: In a step aimed at better Solid Waste Management processes and environmental sustainability in the UT, and to facilitate easy segregation, disposal and processing of waste generated in Jammu city, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha Friday inaugurated the Material Recovery facility at Bandurakh, Jammu.
The new facility has been equipped with latest-technology based machinery for better efficiency to achieve 100% recovery from the dry waste. It will ease the collection and segregation of all kinds of paper waste, cardboard and plastic etc from day to day waste generated in the city.
Speaking on the occasion, the Lt Governor said that the new facility will complement the government’s efforts for effective Solid Waste Management, and will contribute towards Swachh Bharat Mission of J&K.
Government is giving focused attention towards Waste Management for a sustainable urban future in the UT. We are putting consistent efforts into formulation of creative Waste Management Strategies for environmental sustainability, besides making the protection and preservation of the environment an integral part of our development plan, said the Lt Government.
By adopting the 3Rs approach “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”, we are minimizing the waste in a scientific manner so that our cities become more sustainable and clean, the Lt Governor remarked.
The concept of reducing the amount of waste generated by reducing consumption is essential to waste management. The reuse of items, or re-purposing them for a use different from what they are originally intended for is the next essential thing in the waste reduction hierarchy. The last stage of the waste hierarchy is to recycle. Recycling is the transformation of waste into raw material for manufacturing a new item. Thus, the 3Rs approach stands at the very top of the waste management hierarchy, he added.
Underscoring the key components of the Swachhta Kendra, the Lt Governor observed that the new facility will maximize the quantity of recyclables to be processed, while segregating materials that will generate the highest possible revenues from the recycling market. It will also help in segregating combustible fraction, non-recyclables and inert from the dry waste stream.
It was informed that the facility has been equipped with various features to make it an economically sustainable socio-technical model. Moreover, it will also act as a support system for capacity building of the waste pickers, waste aggregators, and associated recyclers.
Chander Mohan Gupta, Mayor, JMC said that the Jammu Municipal Corporation is taking several steps and initiatives to ensure implementation of effective solid waste collection, transportation and disposal practices in its jurisdiction.
It is pertinent to mention that recently, the Lt Governor laid the e-foundation of Rs 80 Crore worth Integrated Solid Waste Management facility at Kot-Bhalwal, in collaboration with NAFED.
Jugal Kishore Sharma, Member Parliament; Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary, H&UDD; Mukesh Singh, Additional DGP; Dr Raghav Langer, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu; Anshul Garg, Deputy Commissioner Jammu attended the inaugural ceremony.
Purnima Sharma, Deputy Mayor JMC; Avny Lavasa, Commissioner JMC; Rohit Khajuria, Vice-Chairman, Jammu Development Authority and other senior officers were also present on the occasion.