Vellore Corporation starts to install bins for plastic waste in Nicholson Canal

The Vellore Corporation has begun the process of installing metal bins at six identified congested public spots within its limits to allow residents and travellers to dump plastic wastes especially PET bottles and also prevent them from dumping such wastes in the Nicholson canal.

Corporation officials said that the idea of the initiative was to prevent people, especially travelers from throwing waste, especially PET bottles in the open. Every day, on an average, around 1.5 lakh persons visit the town for various purposes including medical treatment and business work.

“The initiative will also help residents avoid dumping such used pet bottles in Nicholson canal. It will help the canal to discharge excess rainwater especially during monsoon into the Palar River,” R. Lakshmanan, Commissioner, Vellore Corporation, told The Hindu.

Congested spots like old bus terminus opposite fort complex, British-era Netaji market, Lang Bazaar Road, new bus terminus off Chennai – Bengaluru Highway (NH 48), Chittoor bus stand in Katpadi have been identified to install bins for free collection of PET bottles. “Such bins for PET bottles are a welcome idea as it will encourage people to dump these wastes in the bins rather than in the open. Awareness should be created to make the idea reach a larger audience,,” said B. Parvathi, a resident.

Corporation officials said at present, around 240 tonnes of garbage is generated within the civic body limits every day. Of this, around six tonnes are plastic wastes, mostly PET bottles. Most of the accumulated plastic wastes were recycled at the existing 11 Micro Composting Centres (MCC), covering all 60 wards in its four zones. Each MCC, on an average, has one waste-shredding machine for the purpose. “We are planning to install a shredding machine at the new bus terminus to handle PET bottle wastes generated under the new initiative,” Mr. Lakshmanan added.

As per plan, each bin, on an average, will have a capacity to collect around 300 pet bottles. Sanitary workers will collect these wastes on a daily basis. Each identified spot will have two bins to collect the wastes. However, the new bus terminus will have more bins due to more footfall and a large amount of PET bottles usage. 

Corporation officials said that the initiative, which is a CSR drive, will be extended to public parks within its limits in the coming months to encourage the habit of dumping wastes in bins among children. Currently, the civic body has around 120 parks of which 30 of them are frequently visited by residents.

The existing nine-km-long Nicholson canal, built by the British in 1890s, navigates the town to discharge excess rainwater from nearby hillocks like Pinchamandai, Kurumalai, Nechimedu, Pallakollai, and Vellakalmalai into the Palar River. The British created the canal to prevent inundation of the town, including the fort, where British forces and their families stayed, Corporation officials said.