SDMC working on zero-garbage initiative, begins from RK Puram

New Delhi: The South Delhi Municipal Corporation on Monday claimed that it has become the "first civic body" in north India to work on a zero-garbage initiative using proper waste disposal and management techniques.

The SDMC said the initiative would be implemented by processing and disposing of locally the entire waste generated in a particular area, hence reducing the burden at landfill sites and cut expenditure on waste transportation.

Municipal Commissioner Puneet Kumar Goel said the corporation is presently collecting wet garbage from approximately 1,500 houses from various sectors of R K Puram and four-five restaurants in the vicinity.

"In addition, dry leaves are also being collected by four auto-tippers. The entire such garbage, one MT per day, is being dumped at a compost site where a chamber has been constructed at the office complex of the disaster management, SDMC in R K Puram for generating compost by aerobic method.

"To expedite the process eco-enzymes are being used. It takes less than 40 days to prepare organic compost and it will enhance fertility of the soil," he said.

R K Puram will become the first such facility where the initiative would be implemented.

"The SDMC has become the first civic body in northern India to work on urban zero-garbage initiative and generate organic compost by properly segregating, collecting and processing bio-degradable waste from the four sectors of R K Puram initially," the civic body said.

A senior officer of SDMC said, an MoU was inked with the ITC to bring awareness among the residents of R K Puram.