Highlights of Clean e-Bhubaneswar project in Odisha capital

Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and International Finance Corporation (IFC), a part of the World Bank Group, held the first stakeholder workshop to discuss the plans to make the city e-waste free.

The workshop was organized at Infosys Campus at Infocity, Patia, here on Friday to launch awareness campaigns under the Clean e-Bhubaneswar Project, bringing together the government and private sectors to deliberate on strategic solutions for e-waste free city.

Here are the highlights of the Clean e-Bhubaneswar project:

• The Clean e-Bhubaneswar project, a part of the IFC-European Union Eco-Cities Programme, aims at developing a sustainable model in collaboration with the local government body BMC, State Pollution Control Board, IT department and private sectors for e-waste management in the city.

• The project is being implemented in Bhubaneswar by the consortium of Sofies Sustainability Leaders and city-based Siddha Development Research and Consultancy.

• The consortium of Sofies Sustainability Leaders will focus on making an effective e-waste collection system to ensure proper channelization of e-waste, generating awareness and developing a sustainable e-waste ecosystem in the city. The firm will also address another important aspect of integrating the informal sector by creating appropriate linkages with formal e-waste supply chain, leading to a profitable business value proposition in local recycling and processing of e-waste.

• The hazards of e-waste, methods of proper recycling, opportunities in terms of resource extraction, the pressing need for appropriate e-waste management and potential options that may be implemented were discussed at the workshop yesterday.

Besides, for collection of e-wastes or discarded electrical and electronic products including computer, keyboard, mouse and mobile phone, a website of Clean e-Bhubaneswar project and a toll free number were launched on the occasion. The denizens can visit the website http://www.cleanebhubaneswar.in/ and call at – 18001202723 to deposit the e-wastes.

Currently, there are six centres for collecting the e-wastes and two centres for dismantling the products in Bhubaneswar. The city will be transformed into a safe and responsible city through the Clean e-Bhubaneswar project, said BMC deputy commissioner Subhransu Mishra.