Bhubaneswar: The Clean E-Bhubaneswar programme by Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has enabled the formal sector to collect and properly dispose of several tons of e-waste in a short span of time. The Housing and Urban Development Department should now include other major cities and urban centres of the state under similar programmes to manage e-waste, said Chief Secretary, Aditya Prasad Padhi, while addressing a stakeholders’ workshop organised by BMC and International Finance Corporation (FC), to mark the completion of one year of the Clean E-Bhubaneswar Programme.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador of the European Union to India, Tomasz Kozlowski said, “It is impressive to see the way Bhubaneswar has progressed in a wide gamut of activities – e-waste, e-vehicles, rooftop solar, etc. and cemented itself as a leading Smart City in India. The European Union’s approach to waste management is being wise with waste. I hope the European Union and India can continue to build on shared experiences and best practices to promote innovative mechanisms in tackling e-waste management through promoting public-private partnerships.”
Among others, BMC Commissioner Dr Krishan Kumar and senior scientist of the Odisha State Pollution Control Board, Dr. Dillip Kumar Behera were present along with other senior officials from different government departments and organisations.
BMC Deputy Commissioner Srimanta Mishra, said, “The city-based pilot project collected nearly nine tonnes of e-waste from over 60 entities, which was channelised to certified formal recyclers through partner Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs), hence minimising hazardous practices often employed by the informal sector.’’
“The Clean E-Bhubaneswar Programme has successfully implemented a sustainable model and long-term solutions for e-waste management,’’ he added.
Bringing together key representatives from the government, private sector, academia as well as citizens, the event felicitated 100 institutions/organisations to recognise their contributions to make the project a success.
The Clean E-Bhubaneswar Initiative, over the past year, has implemented 74 awareness activities across the city including awareness workshops in over 35 schools and 17 colleges, reaching over 10,000 students, and engaging directly with over 175 government and corporate bulk consumers and resident welfare associations.
The project also conducted a road show, with a door-to-door e-waste awareness and collection campaign reaching 590 households. A dedicated toll-free number and website were made available to support proper disposal and channelisation of e-waste across the city, as were several social media channels. A prominent sculpture of Ravana made from e-waste was also installed at Jaydev Vihar Square to build more awareness about the hazards of e-waste.
The E-Bhubaneswar programme is being implemented by IFC under the IFC – EU Eco-Cities Programme. This unique project establishes a first-of-its-kind collaboration between local government entities, including the BMC, OSPCB, IT department and the private sector to address Bhubaneswar’s e-waste management challenge by building awareness and developing a sustainable model for e-waste management in the city.
