Sensor-based dustbins a failure in Dharamsala

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, December 29

The multi-crore underground dustbin scheme has failed to serve the purpose in Dharamsala. Most dustbins of the 90 are broken and unable to carry waste. The sensor system, that was to alert the authorities that the bin was full, seems to have failed.

In 2017, Dharamsala became the first city to have sensor-based underground dustbins. These were installed with much fanfare at Dari by then minister Sudhir Sharma.

As many as 225 dustbins, having technology imported from Holland, were to be installed in the city, costing about Rs 12 crore.

However, two years later, the multi-crore underground dustbin scheme seems to have failed. A survey by The Tribune revealed that at many places, the underground dustbins were overflowing. The authorities should have got information regarding the filling of dustbins through sensors, but it seemed the sensors had either been damaged or the authorities were not sensitive to these.

Near Norbulinga, the Tibetan institute of arts, that is visited by hundreds of tourists daily, waste could be found littering around the dustbins. The situation was similar in Bhagsunag. Vikas, a hotelier in Bhagsu, alleged that the MC authorities cleared these after a week.

The overflowing underground dustbins are also a common site in McLeodganj, Bhagsunag and Dharamkot.

The Dharamsala MC authorities said whenever a complaint regarding the overflowing dustbins was received, they directed the contractors to take remedial measures. The MC has outsourced the work of management of solid waste. The MC is facing an acute shortage of the staff. The corporation has no sanitary inspector and the government has not allowed the local body to recruit staff even on a contract basis.

Many had criticised the underground dustbin scheme. Dr Anjan Kumar Kalia, chief consultant at Him Renewable Energy and Environment Consultants, had alleged that the technology was unviable for areas like Dharamsala that received heavy rain.

Scheme cost Rs 12 cr

• As many as 225 dustbins, having technology imported from Holland, were to be installed in the city, costing about Rs12 crore
• The sensor system, that was to alert the authorities that the bin was full, seems to have failed.
• In 2017, Dharamsala became the first city to have sensor-based underground dustbins

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