Solid waste management prog to come up in fireworks centre

VIRUDHUNAGAR, Apr 25: Home to a huge number of fireworks and printing industries, this district will see a cleaner environment in future with a solid waste management programme all set to come up, benefitting 60 panchayats, as part of a state-wide programme. "This solid waste management programme is being launched to benefit 60 panchayats. It is part of the state-level programme to keep 2,000 panchayats clean in the first phase," District Rural Development Agency Project Officer M Prabakar told reporters. The programme is to be implemented in 12,524 village panchayats in Tamil Nadu. In the first phase, urban and rural towns, including tourists spots, heritage and holy sites, big industrial areas, bus stands and Railway station would be taken up. "The objective is to ensure spick and span environment in areas where people gather in large numbers. Eleven town panchayats will also be covered under the scheme," he said. Prabakar said 760 workers would be appointed in Virudhunagar district to collect garbage - both the decaying and non decaying variety. Each panchayat would be allotted Rs 35,000 to collect and process the garbage. Machinery for cutting plastic waste cleaning equipment had also been purchased, he said.