BHUBANESWAR: In an initiative to make Bhubaneswar e-waste free, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and International Finance Corporation (IFC), a part of the World Bank Group organised a workshop on clean e-Bhubaneswar.
Under the clean e-Bhubaneswar project issues like hazards of e-waste, proper recycling methods, opportunities in terms of resource extraction, pressing need for appropriate e-waste management and potential options that can be implemented, were discussed.
In a collaboration between BMC, State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), IT Department and private sector project aims at developing a model for e-waste management in the city to tackle e-waste challenges.
An official from BMC said, “The Clean e-Bhubaneswar project is part of the IFC-European Union Eco Cities programme. Eco-Cities India is a multi-year climate change focused programme aligned with Government of India’s Smart Cities initiative to create climate smart infrastructure in five cities – Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai and Pune. Implementation of the project is being undertaken by consortium of Sofies Sustainability Leaders private limited and city-based Siddha Development Research and Consultancy”.
Talking about the consequences of e-waste, Joint Director, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India, Dr AK Gupta said that a collective effort can eradicate the problem if a strategy is chalked out properly and scientifically.
In a drive to make Bhubaneswar e-waste free, the government has launched a website where city based companies and residents can visit and request a free pickup of e-waste or they can also call on toll-free number 1800-120-2723.