Kolkata, Nov. 27 -- With Bengal apparently becoming an international tourist destination, the state government is planning to strengthen waste handling in the Digha-Shankarpur tourism corridor to protect the beaches by initiating a modern Material Recovery Facility (MRF) aimed at scientifically managing the coastal belt's daily waste load.
Sources in the Digha Sankarpur Development Authority (DSDA) confirmed that the authority has invited operators to run and maintain the facility for an initial three-year period, with the option of extending it up to five years based on performance.
According to DSDA officials, Digha and Shankarpur now generate close to 30 tonnes of mixed waste a day, driven by hotels, eateries, markets and heavy tourist footfall across seasons. The new MRF is intended to prevent waste build-up near beaches and residential clusters by ensuring systematic segregation, processing and recycling. DSDA will deliver all collected waste to the facility, which sits on 1.94 acres and includes an MRF shed, machinery, an office block and a 50-MT weighbridge.
Officials said the selected agency will be responsible for commissioning the facility, operating it round-the-clock and sending segregated recyclables to authorised recycling units. Combustible material is expected to be routed to cement factories or waste-to-energy plants. The plant must function in compliance with national solid-waste rules and pollution-control norms.
To preserve the coastal environment and ensure hygiene around the tourism belt, the operator will be required to maintain controls on odour, dust, noise and leachate, install fire-safety and CCTV systems, ensure full worker safety measures and keep daily operational records.
A mobile application is also to be developed for real-time monitoring of waste movement and processing, officials added.
Sources said the operator must maximise recycling and reuse and regularly file material-balance reports. Any hazardous or medical waste found in the stream must be separated and sent to the pollution board-approved facilities.
All running costs, including electricity, manpower, waste transport and statutory clearances, will be borne by the operator.
DSDA will hand over an encroachment-free site and extend logistical support such as water supply and access roads. However, the land will not be leased out, and can only be used for the project during the contract period, an official said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.