Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has come up with an innovative way to manage waste at source. The civic body has decided to offer a 25 percent rebate on charges of community halls and other places if the organiser of the event follows a zero-waste principle.
The civic body has laid down certain rules to be followed at the event venue to get the rebate. Events like marriage, birthdays, and religious or social events are included in it.
The civic body aims to increase citizens’ participation in waste management
The civic body says that this will increase citizens’ participation in waste management and it will also inculcate good habits among them.
Under the “Zero Waste Initiative”, the citizens residing in the NMMC area and holding a function at the community hall, temple, or similar places of NMMC, the civic body will be exempted from a 25 percent charge of the venue. “If a birthday, wedding, or any other social/religious event is to be celebrated in the community temple or hall of NMMC, a 25% exemption will be given by the corporation if the host implements 'Zero Waste Initiative' at that place,” said an official from the Solid Waste Management (SWM) of NMMC. However, the civic body has laid down certain terms and conditions to implement the 'Zero Waste Initiative'.
Various activities conducted as part of Swachh Bharat Mission
As part of the 'Swachh Bharat Mission', the civic body is carrying out various activities to create public awareness. “The purpose of the 'Zero Waste Initiative' is to encourage the residents of the NMMC area to carry out waste segregation and process them. They are supposed to make this habit,” said the official. He added that the civic body is implementing the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and Maharashtra Plastics and Thermocol Non-Degradable Goods (Production, Use, Sale, Transport, Handling, Storage) Notification, 2018 in its jurisdiction.
Terms and conditions:
No plastic of any kind shall be used in the programme.
Foods to be served on steel plates, glass plates, biodegradable spoons or eco-friendly plates made from tree leaves
Paper drinking cup
Using coloured paper for decoration, cloth and cardboard for flex/banners.
Using items like jute bags, recycled diaries or steel water bottles while giving return gifts to children.
Use of separate dustbins for disposal of wet and dry waste.
Judicious use of water.
And displaying public awareness messages regarding cleanliness on the facade of the hall.
