Muzaffarpur Nagar Nigam embarks on a mission to turn Muzaffarpur into a smart, clean city

With help from New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment, launches initiative for source segregation of waste in 14 wards

Launch of ‘SWACHHTA SWASTHYA SAMRIDHI’ initiative with core theme of ‘segregation at source’ to tackle municipal solid waste
Waste collectors across the 14 wards to be trained to collect segregated waste from households; 200 collectors already trained
CSE will help the Nagar Nigam cover 49 wards of the city by June 2017
Initiative will help Muzaffarpur ramp up waste collection and waste treatment
“Muzaffarpur must become an example of effective waste management and sanitation in the state of Bihar – a model that can be replicated in other cities across the country:” CSE

Muzaffarpur (Bihar), January 17, 2017: The Muzaffarpur Nagar Nigam has rolled out an initiative for waste segregation at source in 14 wards across the city. The launch of the initiative was announced here today by Ramesh Ranjan Prasad, commissioner, Muzaffarpur Nagar Nigam.

This initiative is a result of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Nagar Nigam and the New Delhi-based research and advocacy think-tank, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) to transform Muzaffarpur into a clean, smart city. As per the MoU, CSE will help in developing a framework for better solid waste management in the city and in monitoring the programme. The execution of this project will be done by the Nagar Nigam.

Addressing a gathering of waste collectors, ward parishad representatives, hotel managements and City Sanitation Task Force members, Mr Prasad urged them to join hands in this mission. He said: “Households should source segregate garbage into wet, dry and domestic hazardous waste in the designated bins – green, blue and red from now onwards.”

“In three to four days, ward numbers 1 and 2 will start segregation at source. This shall subsequently be adopted in other wards as well,” he added.

Addressing the workshop in a video message, CSE deputy director general Chandra Bhushan said that he envisions a major transformation in the city due to this initiative, and that he seeks the participation of the people in this programme. “We want Muzaffarpur to be quoted as an example of effective waste management and sanitation in the state of Bihar – a model that can be replicated in other cities across the country,” he said. He also thanked the Urban Development and Housing Departments of the Government of Bihar, Muzaffarpur Nagar Nigam and the people of Muzaffarpur for their constant support and participation in this mission.

The commissioner thanked CSE for its efforts and initiative in the city. “Without CSE’s valuable support, we would not have even thought about reaching this juncture,” said Mr Prasad.

According to available estimates, Muzaffarpur generates about 170 metric tonnes (MT) of waste on a daily basis, with per capita waste generation close to 300 grams per person per day. The Muzaffarpur Nagar Nigam is responsible for solid waste management in the town. However, it has only invested in collection and transportation of waste to a dumping yard, situated 12 km away from the city in a village called Rautiniya. No treatment or processing of waste is currently done in the city.

Talking about the urgent need for solid waste management in the current context in Muzaffarpur, Bhushan said, “For long, no initiative was taken in this city with regard to waste and sanitation. Thus this mission to bring Swasthya and Samridhi in the city is also about changing our habits. It is an imperative to segregate the garbage that we generate in our houses and to recycle and reuse our resources.” He added that this programme will go a long way towards the overall development of Muzaffarpur as a smart city.

The 49 wards of the city shall be transformed into clean wards by June 2017 by the joint efforts of CSE and Nagar Nigam. Over a period of six months, waste collectors in every ward will be trained and volunteers will propagate the message of segregation at source across the city. The waste collectors will be incentivised for segregation. At present, 200 waste collectors have already been trained to collect segregated waste in green, blue and red bins.

Swati Singh Sambyal, programme manager, CSE demonstrated to the collectors how the segregated waste should be collected from households. She also stressed that collecting mixed waste poses a health risk to sanitation workers, and segregation at source can help avoid such health hazards.

Ravish Chandra Verma, city manager, Muzaffarpur Nagar Nigam, said, “It is a moment of pride for this city and for the state of Bihar that this initiative is being rolled out here.” He asked all stakeholders to join hands and transform the city into a model to be emulated across the country in the area of waste management.

For queries, please contact Souparno Banerjee (souparno@cseindia.org / 9910864339) of The CSE Media Resource Centre.
You can access photographs of the launch Click here