Corporates may be roped in to handle conservancy operations

“We are looking at corporate and multi-national companies interested in carrying out conservancy work as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity. Thiruvotriyur was chosen because of its strong industrial and corporate presence,” said a senior fficial. At present, the civic body employs its own personnel on a door-to-door collection drive to clear wastes in Thiruvotriyur zone, which generates around 200 tonne of garbage on a daily basis. However, as is the case with the other extended areas in the city, the system is not efficient and doesn’t reach out to all locations. Invariably, overflowing trashcans have become the norm as residents end up clearing out their own garbage.

Bringing in a corporate into this activity will introduce effectiveness. “The entire cost of the conservancy work will have to be borne out of CSR funds. The firm that will be brought on board will also be responsible for source segregation and recycling of wastes,” said an official.

For that, the corporate will be allowed to set up a processing unit on a piece of land owned by it. The unit will possess composting facilities, incinerators and other garbage processing mechanisms. “The wastes that cannot be processed will be moved to landfill sites,” the official added. Officials said companies have been approaching the corporation expressing interest.

“Such a CSR activity would also help a corporate entity earn considerable tax breaks,” a senior official remarked.

The experiment, however, will be limited to the expanded limits for the foreseeable future as officials remain doubtful about its success. “Employing the same system in core city is out of question as of now,” an official said.