Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Apr 17: In a bid to streamline the waste disposal system, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) is set to implement stricter measures. Until now, citizens were required to segregate only wet and dry waste. Going forward, sanitary waste must also be placed in a separate bin and handed over to civic workers. Penalties will be imposed on those who fail to properly segregate their waste.
"While the public has been segregating wet and dry waste, items such as sanitary pads, children’s diapers, and adult diapers are still being mixed with wet waste. These must now be separated and handed over in a designated bin. The city generates around 5 to 10 tonnes of sanitary waste daily, and its disposal has become a challenge. Some individuals are even mixing plastic containers and bottles with wet waste, which will no longer be tolerated. A fine of Rs 500 will be imposed for the first violation, and the amount will be increased for repeat offenses," stated MCC Commissioner Ravichandra Nayak.
Pamphlets outlining proper segregation practices and notices regarding penalties for non-compliance will be issued this week. Citizens have been given time until April 21 to start segregating sanitary waste. After that, fines will be enforced.
"Segregating waste is the responsibility of every citizen. However, some continue to flout the rules even after being fined. In such cases, we may resort to drastic measures like cutting off their water supply," the commissioner warned.
Residents must now maintain separate bins for wet, dry, and sanitary waste. Fines ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 25,000 can be imposed. The MCC has also announced that it will publicly disclose details of individuals fined for not segregating waste properly.
To monitor waste collection from households and residential complexes, QR codes had earlier been installed at collection points. Civic workers were provided devices to scan them, but many of these devices became non-functional, halting the use of QR codes. Now, the MCC is reviving this system.
Training was held earlier at the MCC office for civic workers, loaders, and drivers. Dakshina Kannada district in-charge secretary Tulasi Maddineni also reviewed the initiative. “We have developed a separate app for QR code scanning, which civic workers can use on smartphones,” said Raju, managing director of Mangaluru Smart City Ltd.
"There are 2.37 lac waste-generating properties—including homes, hotels, and commercial establishments—within the corporation limits. QR codes have already been installed at 90,000 locations across 60 wards. The data collected through QR code scanning will be sent to the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), enabling us to track daily waste collection from each household and monitor worker attendance," added Ravichandra Nayak.
The MCC has identified 60 black spots in the city where waste is being dumped illegally. CCTV cameras will be installed at all these locations to monitor offenders and take action. Citizens are encouraged to report such incidents by sending photos to 9449007722 or by calling 0824–2220306.
The Mangaluru City Corporation handles a significant volume of waste daily, with approximately 120 tonnes of wet waste and 80 tonnes of dry waste generated within its limits. To manage this load, around 500 loaders and drivers are deployed to collect waste from households across the city.