Kolkata to convert waste into wealth: Mayor

Kolkata, 17 Nov: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation is trying to convert 4,000 tonnes of waste material that the city generates each day into wealth, Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya said here today.

"The city produces a mammoth-size waste material of 4,000 tonnes each day. We have to transform it into wealth by utilising waste material in various forms. And we are trying to do that. This will check pollution and maintain ecological balance," Bhattacharya said while speaking at a seminar on climate change organised by city-based NGO Centre for Social Markets (CSM).

He, however, did not elaborate on how the waste would be utilised.

Calling upon the educated and the intelligentsia to come out and address challenges posed by climate change and global warming, Bhattacharya said the civic body is doing its bit by taking various measures.

"But we cannot do this without everyone's help. After we imposed a ban on plastic bags the shopkeepers said they were threatened by the people to sell goods in poly packs. So how will poor shopkeepers survive this way without getting support from the educated people?"

He urged citizens to switch off lights when not in use to conserve energy.

"Even people in the KMC offices keep their lights, fans and ACs switched on when no one is in the room," he said and stressed on the need to raise awareness.


(PTI)