‘More private players can be roped in for solid waste management’

Major revamp required in LMC; plan for Lucknow ready, to be implemented soon, says Suresh Khanna

LUCKNOW: The state government can rope in some private players, including a US firm, for solid waste management of the city in order to improve the poor sanitation ranking of Lucknow (115th). A work plan is ready and it will be implemented soon, claimed urban development minister Suresh Khanna while talking to HT on Tuesday.

“Lucknow languishing at 115th place in city sanitation index is not acceptable. A major revamp is required in LMC. I have studied the grey areas of the corporation and prepared a plan for Lucknow that would be implemented soon,” said the minister.

He said the state government was not happy with the company performing the task of door-todoor waste collection.

“It has failed in ensuring 100% door-to-door waste collection and transportation of waste to the landfill site. If the company is not able to do this, then some more companies are required to undertake the task. We will not hesitate in roping in more than one company for this work and this would be done soon,” he added.

Suresh Khanna said, “I have studied three models of waste management – the first is the Jabalpur model, wherein they are generating 11 mw power from 600 tonnes of waste. This would cost around Rs 160 crore. The second is the Barabanki model wherein waste treatment plant is generating 3 mw power from 350 tonnes waste. It can come up at a meagre cost of just ₹11 crore. The third model is of an American company of NRIs that could be roped in. This company has the technology to generate 35 mw of power from 100 tonnes of waste. The company is setting up landfill site at Shahjahanpur . Lucknow requires one of these models. For a big city more than one landfill site is required and this would be decided soon.” Khanna said he had directed municipal officials to ensure 100% door-to-door collection of waste and if things didn’t change, strict action would follow. “I have directed the municipal officials to visit areas every day so that they have firsthand information about the problems in the city,” added Khanna. To improve sanitation, collection of waste could be done in market places during night hours too, he said.

“I have also directed the municipal commissioner to ensure that the city is declared ODF before September 30,” said the minister.