Rafiqul Islam
DHAKA, Mar 18, 2021 (BSS) – The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has
planned to produce electricity, biogas and compost fertiliser from wastes as
part of its move to introduce a modern waste management system by 2031.
“We will take initiatives to produce electricity, biogas and compact
fertiliser from wastes. Once the DSCC’s mega plan (2015-31) is approved, we
will take the initiatives to this end,” DSCC Chief Waste Management Officer
Air Commodore Md Badrul Amin told BSS.
A DSCC official said the corporation continues talks with the Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to get support from it in producing
electricity, biogas and compost fertiliser from wastes.
He said the DSCC is moving towards modernisation of its waste management
system and it is expected that the city corporation would be able to
introduce a modernized waste management system by 2031 reducing container
dependency in waste management.
About the current capacity of the DSCC in waste management, Badrul Amin
said there are 53 compact trucks in the DSCC and it requires 100 more trucks.
“Some 100 more compact trucks will be procured, but the government allocation
is needed to buy those,” he added.
About 2,500 to 3,000 tonnes of solid and household wastes and 20-25 tonnes
of medical wastes are being generated in the DSCC area every day.
At present, there are 12 secondary transfer stations (STSs), which are
used in waste management in the city corporation and 41 more transfer
stations will be inaugurated within the next June, said DSCC waste management
officer Abdul Motaleb.
As part of the modernisation of its waste management, the DSCC will set up
at least two STSs at every ward, he added.
He said, “The container boxes of waste will be put in the STSs and water
connections will be given to the STSs so that the boxes could be washed. A
ward waste management will be set up adjacent to every STS and there will be
a waste management inspector.”
About waste collection, Motaleb said the DSCC has recently reformed the
city’s waste collection system. “Now wastes are being collected from
households from 6 pm to 10 pm through vans. One firm was registered at ward
level for one year in collecting wastes,” he said.
The DSCC hired one primary collection service provider in each ward for
collecting waste from all sorts of establishments under its jurisdiction.
According to the contract agreement, service providers will not charge
more than Taka 100 per month from each household unit and other
establishments for their service. The reformed system has replaced the
general practice of local social service organisations involved in waste
collection.
Through that previous system, each household unit had to pay around Taka
40-50 to the service provider, while shops were not charged for that service
since those generated little waste.
Badrul Amin said the DSCC waste management system has already been
reorganised, but the city dwellers should be more conscious in keeping the
city clean.