Plastic reverse vending machines lie idle

The Ludhiana Municipal Corporation installed ten plastic reverse vending machines across the city as part of the Smart City Mission, costing Rs 41 lakh. However, these machines, purchased two years ago, have failed to serve their intended purpose and are now left unused, gathering dust. In many locations, they have not even been connected to a power source, further highlighting the negligence of the initiative.

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City-based RTI activist and social worker Kumar Gaurav today mocked the situation, questioning the wastage of public money. Gaurav sat beside one of the vending machines at Sarabha Nagar, draped it with a white cloth symbolising a shroud and placed a garland around a picture of the machine, calling it a “last prayer meet.” He criticised the government for spending public funds on machines that have never been used, adding, “We, as the public, have every right to question the government about the usage of public money.”

The purpose of these machines was to collect and crush plastic bottles, aluminium cans and multi-layer packaging, such as chip wrappers and chocolate packaging, for recycling. Each machine has a capacity to process up to 2,000 items, ranging from 100ml to 2,500ml in size. Unfortunately, the machines have remained largely unknown to the public, as the Municipal Corporation failed to publicise their existence or educate people on how to use them.

The vending machines were installed at several key locations, including Civil Hospital, Guru Nanak Stadium, DC Complex, Sarabha Nagar Main Market, Model Town Gole Market, Model Town Extension Market, Bus Stand and Government College for Girls.

A shopkeeper from Sarabha Nagar Main Market commented, “We were never informed about the machine or its purpose. Officials should have at least demonstrated how it works.” Another shopkeeper shared, at one point, the machine had been powered by a nearby public toilet, but that connection had since been removed. “The machine is in an inconvenient location and most people do not pass by it. It is a waste of money if people are not made aware of its existence,” he added.

Despite being an innovative solution for plastic waste disposal, these vending machines remain a futile investment, with no visible impact on the community or the environment.