GUWAHATI, July 13 � The Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA) has asked the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) to increase the frequency of collection of the city�s municipal solid waste (MSW) as also to maintain the norms concerning the number, size and type of the garbage collection bins.
This, the PCBA said, was essential to �revamp the collection process and make it environment-friendly.�
A letter issued by the PCBA Chairman, Dr RM Dubey, to the GMC Commissioner took cognizance of the fact that the GMC was collecting the MSW just once at an interval of 24 hours or even 48 hours, which, it said, was �inadequate.�
In addition, the number of waste collection bins was few compared to the waste generated, and again, the bins were of fixed types and not the refill types, the PCBA noted.
The PCBA said that the collection of MSW should be at least two times a day instead of the present practice of once a day. It also said that the number and size of waste bins should be in accordance with the volume of waste generated.
�The distance between two bins should not be more than 400 metres,� it said.
Moreover, the PCBA asked the GMC to have different types of bins for waste generated in commercial areas such as fish and meat market, vegetable market, restaurants and hotels, etc., and collection at those places should be more frequent. The bins for domestic waste should be different from those meant for commercial wastes, it added.
The PCBA also called for segregation of bio-degradable and non-bio-degradable waste at source by trained workers.
The PCBA said that the MSW collection bins should be of refill type, which can be collected along with the waste and then replaced by cleaned-up bins.
