The Tiruvannamalai Corporation has begun setting up metal bins at least in ten spots in the new bus terminus and Girivalam Path near Arunachaleswarar temple to collect plastic waste, especially PET bottles, and prevent waste dumping.

Corporation officials said that the idea behind the initiative was to prevent people, especially travellers, from throwing waste in the open. Every day, on an average, around 1.5 lakh persons visit the town, especially to worship at the Arunachaleswarar Temple and ashrams. “The initiative will also help residents to avoid dumping used PET bottles in small water bodies, ponds and tanks. Preventing dumping in open storm water drains will help discharge excess rainwater,” K. Balasubramanian, Commissioner, Tiruvannamalai Corporation, told The Hindu.

Corporation officials said that the novel idea of installing such bins is also part of the ‘Clean Tiruvannamalai’ initiative launched by Collector Vandhana Garg. Initially, crowded spots like the new bus terminus and the 14-km Girivalam Path have been identified for the purpose.

Civic officials said that each steel bin, on an average, has a capacity to collect around 300 kg of PET wastes. The collection of PET wastes in the bins is done at least twice a week by a team of sanitary staff. The entire work has been monitored by E. Ramanan, sanitary officer, Tiruvannamalai Corporation. “Such bins for PET bottles is a welcome measure as it will cultivate the habit of dropping wastes in dustbins among children in public places. The bins should be more user friendly especially for children to access them,” said S. Priya, a commuter.

Corporation officials said, at present, on an average, 60 metric tons of waste are generated in Tiruvannamalai town every day. Of this, 20 percent of total wastes are plastic wastes, especially PET bottles. Food waste will be recycled to make organic manure for farming and terrace gardens in Tiruvannamalai. 

Civic officials said that waste collected are segregated at 10 Micro Compost Centres (MCCs) in the town. Each centre can handle at least four tonnes of wastes before non-biodegradable wastes are sent to the 15 acre-landfill site in the town.