Stalemate over garbage collection ends in Yanam region of Puducherry
The private firm, HR Square, had stopped collecting garbage a few weeks ago, following a protest by a section of residents belonging to Gopal Nagar, the area notified by the Puducherry government to set up a Resource Recovery Park (RRP) and Sanitary Landfill site for proper disposal and processing of solid waste in the Yanam region.
On average per day, the region generated around 20 metric tonnes of solid waste, and after stopping the work around three weeks ago, the people of Yanam started dumping waste in public places. As waste started accumulating on arterial roads and in residential areas, the local legislator Gollapalli Srinivas Ashok (Independent) staged a protest in the Assembly two days ago accusing officials in Yanam administration of being apathetic to solving the issue.
Following the protest, the government deputed Puducherry Collector A. Kulothungan to visit Yanam region for engaging all parties concerned to arrive at a solution. He visited the region on Friday and inspected the dumping sites.
'The agency started removing the garbage from Friday itself. Around 80 tonnes of garbage was removed on the first day of resumption of work by the firm. We will clear the accumulated waste in a day or two. The firm has been directed to set up the RRP without any delay. We want them to complete the setting up of RRP and landfill in the next 20 days,' Mr. Kulothungan told The Hindu.
Officials of Yanam administration said for almost 20 to 30 years, garbage generated in the region was dumped in Kanakalpeta village. After waste started piling up in the village, the government decided to set up a proper landfill as per Solid Waste Management rules at Gopal Nagar in Mettacur Revenue village
In 2023, the government issued an order transferring around 4 acres of land from the possession of Electricity Department to Local Administration Department for establishing the RRP and landfill at Gopal Nagar. Subsequently, the land was handed over to HR Square for garbage management in Yanam region.
Meanwhile, bio-mining of legacy waste of around 50,000 metric tonnes at Kanakalpeta village has also commenced. More than half of the legacy waste had already been bio-mined, the official said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Projects worth Rs 5000 crore and a political message: Bengal gears up ahead of PM Modi's rally
Political analysts await Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public meeting in West Bengal's Durgapur tomorrow, July 18, a significant event just days before the state's ruling party Trinamool Congress's annual 'Shahid Divas' mega rally on July 21, where it is expected to set the tone for the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal. This marks the Prime Minister's second visit to the state in recent times, following his address in Alipurduar after Operation Sindoor on May 29. Following the launches of some projects, PM Modi is expected to lead a rally from Gandhi More to Nehru Stadium, culminating in a public meeting at the stadium. Analysts will keenly watch his speech, especially in light of the Trinamool Congress's ongoing campaign against the alleged targeting of Bengali migrants in BJP-ruled states. The event is set to draw significant BJP leadership, including the newly appointed state party president Samik Bhattacharya, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, and actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty. Notably, former BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh, who has recently been less visible at party events, is also confirmed to be in attendance. BJP leaders and workers are hopeful that they will show a unified front tomorrow. The Prime Minister is slated to inaugurate, dedicate, and lay foundation stones for multiple projects across various sectors, collectively valued at over Rs 5,000 crore. These initiatives encompass oil and gas, power, road, and rail infrastructure. Key among these projects is the foundation stone laying for Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd (BPCL)'s City Gas Distribution (CGD) project in Bankura and Purulia districts, an investment of approximately Rs 1,950 crore. This project aims to bring PNG connections to homes, businesses, and industries, establish CNG retail outlets, and generate employment. The Prime Minister will also flag off the 132 km Durgapur-Kolkata section of the Durgapur-Haldia Natural Gas Pipeline, part of the ambitious Jagdishpur-Haldia and Bokaro-Dhamra Pipeline, also known as the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga (PMUG) Project. This section, costing over Rs 1,190 crore, traverses through Purba Bardhman, Hooghly, and Nadia districts, promising natural gas supply to households and having created employment during its construction. In a move towards cleaner energy, PM Modi will also dedicate the Retrofitting Pollution Control System – Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) systems at Durgapur Steel Thermal Power Station and Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station of Damodar Valley Corporation. These projects, worth over Rs 1,457 crore, are expected to facilitate cleaner energy production and create job opportunities. Rail infrastructure will also receive a boost with the dedication of the doubled Purulia – Kotshila Rail Line (36 KM) in Purulia, a project valued at over Rs 390 crore. This upgrade is set to enhance rail connectivity for industries in Jamshedpur, Bokaro, and Dhanbad with Ranchi and Kolkata, streamlining goods movement and reducing travel times. Additionally, two road over bridges (ROBs) constructed under the Setu Bharatam Programme, costing over Rs 380 crore, will be inaugurated at Topsi and Pandabeswar in Paschim Bardhaman, aiming to improve connectivity and reduce railway crossing accidents. Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
State to regulate private tuitions, school fee hikes and supply sales
In a move aimed at curbing commercialisation in school education, the Maharashtra government is set to introduce new regulations to control private coaching classes, cap arbitrary fee hikes, and stop schools from forcing parents to buy uniforms and books from specific vendors. School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse told the Assembly on Tuesday that a Private Coaching Regulation Act is being drafted to check tie-ups between colleges and private tuitions. 'The draft and related rules are under preparation. Inputs from MLAs will be considered,' he said. Bhuse also said that the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011 will be amended to address rising complaints of illegal fee hikes. 'Schools cannot charge beyond the approved fee structure. Any violations will lead to action. Education is a social responsibility, not a business,' he said. Responding to another question, Bhuse said guidelines will soon be issued to stop schools from mandating the purchase of school materials from select vendors. 'Parents should have the freedom to buy from any shop. Any coercion will be dealt with strictly,' he added. The measures come amid growing concern over rising costs in private schools and lack of regulatory oversight.
The Print
2 days ago
- The Print
By reviving Hasina-era mango diplomacy with India, Yunus govt signals ‘business as usual'
The mango shipments were coordinated by Bangladesh's Ministry of External Affairs and followed an earlier exchange of Eid greetings between the two governments. PM Modi had extended wishes to Muhammad Yunus, his counterpart in Dhaka, who reciprocated the wishes. While consignments of mangoes were also sent to other South Asian countries, and states in India, including key political figures in West Bengal and Tripura, one notable omission stood out: Assam. New Delhi: Earlier this week, Dhaka dispatched 100 kg of its prized Haribhanga mangoes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, continuing a tradition of 'mango diplomacy' that began under Bangladesh's deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The seasonal exchange came at a time of considerable political and diplomatic tensions between the two countries. Earlier Thursday, Yunus sent 300 kg of the popular mangoes as a gift to Tripura CM Manik Saha. Each year, the Bangladesh government sends seasonal gifts to the Tripura state government and prominent individuals. In a reciprocal gesture of goodwill, Tripura sends Bangladesh its renowned Queen variety pineapples, known for their sweetness and juiciness. On the surface, the gift baskets appeared to signal a thaw in ties, which turned frosty following Sheikh Hasina's ouster in August 2024. But the timing of the gesture gives it deeper, more strategic undertones, particularly the omission of Assam from the list of recipients. In June, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma had told the state Assembly that authorities 'pushed back [into Bangladesh] almost 330 people' who they suspected of being foreigners. Also Read: Yunus initiates 'mango diplomacy' in bid to strengthen ties with China. 50-yr water sharing plan soon 'Business as usual' Even as it revives Hasina-era mango diplomacy, the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus is recalibrating its regional strategy and moving decisively to deepen ties with China and Pakistan. Beijing, already a major player in Bangladesh, had announced a $1 billion economic package during Hasina's final months in office. The interim government has signaled its intent to build on that investment. In a parallel move, relations with Pakistan have also warmed considerably. In April, Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch visited Dhaka in what marked the first high-level engagement between the two countries in over 15 years. Since Hasina's departure, both nations have resumed military dialogues, reactivated trade agreements, and relaxed visa requirements. Notably, Bangladesh maintained a neutral stance during the most recent flare-up between India and Pakistan, a move interpreted by many as a signal that Dhaka is seeking to expand its strategic flexibility in the region. Last month, China hosted the first-ever trilateral meeting between Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan in Kunming, in the southwestern province of Yunnan. In a statement released after the meeting, the Chinese foreign ministry said the three nations had 'reaffirmed their commitment to genuine multilateralism and open regionalism,' emphasizing—apparently with India in mind—that the cooperation 'is not directed at any third party'. Analysts say these developments point to a quiet but unmistakable shift in Bangladesh's foreign policy outlook. 'Bangladesh is signaling that it's business as usual,' Mubashar Hasan, Bangladeshi political analyst and researcher at the University of Oslo, told ThePrint. Adding, 'While the country takes pride in its mangoes, the gesture also reflects a broader shift—unlike during Hasina's tenure, Dhaka no longer views India as its primary regional ally. India maintained a realist foreign policy and aligned with Hasina's rhetoric while she was in power. Although India's stance remains largely unchanged, Bangladesh's political outlook has clearly evolved.' By engaging with China and Pakistan while keeping diplomatic courtesies alive with India, Bangladesh appears to be walking a careful tightrope while asserting greater autonomy. As for mango diplomacy, while symbolic, has a history in the subcontinent. In 1986, Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi famously gifted mangoes to Philippine President Corazon Aquino. In 2008, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari sent a crate to then-Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a gesture of goodwill. Bangladesh has also used mangoes as a soft power tool. In 2023, Hasina sent a similar consignment to Indian leaders to encourage progress on the long-stalled Teesta water-sharing agreement. Now, the Yunus administration is actively pursuing the extradition of Hasina, living in exile in India, to face charges stemming from the brutal crackdown on student-led protests in 2024. She has been accused of crimes against humanity and has now been indicted as well. Authorities in Dhaka have also begun freezing the assets of Hasina and her family. Justice Minister Asif Nazrul and Foreign Affairs Adviser Towhid Hossain confirmed that formal extradition requests have already been sent to New Delhi. India has so far not responded to any of the requests. (Edited by Amrtansh Arora) Also Read: Indian mangoes land in America and become 'ticking time bombs'
