Environmentalists and civic activists have welcomed the city corporation’s move to include plastic content in the bitumen roads as it would enhance the road durability and also recycle some of the plastic generated in the city. The activists, however, criticised the corporation for its failure to implement the ban on plastic along the Marina Beach that was mooted during the previous DMK regime. Earlier in the day, Chennai mayor Saidai Duraisamy inspected the relaying of roads with plastic mix at T Nagar and assured quality roads to the motorists. The mayor said that the civic body would soon launch a pilot project under which the garbage mounds will be cleared in short span, making the city a litter-free zone.

The major reason for garbage piling up is the failure to segregate garbage at source. The garbage situation in Chennai can easily be handled if waste is segregated as biodegradable and non-biodegradable components, said M.B. Nirmal, founder, Exnora international. Restriction in use of plastic will also help the city become free of the stench of garbage mounds, said Nirmal. Corporation sources said that the civic body is planning to store waste in 4-10 different points in every ward using closed bins and the accumulated garbage would be sent dumped directly to dumping yards. The corporation also plans to change the timings of garbage collection from early mornings to 10.30 am, they said.

Courtesy : www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/chennai/civic-activists-welcome-corporation-plastic-roads-044