Bantwal: Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta inaugurated a newly constructed Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Vittal town panchayat limits on Friday, marking a step towards scientific management of dry waste in the town.
The facility has been established at a cost of Rs 60.10 lakh under the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 and other centrally sponsored schemes. With a processing capacity of three tonnes per day (TPD), the MRF is expected to strengthen the collection, segregation and disposal of dry waste generated within Vittal town panchayat limits.
Facility to strengthen dry waste management
The newly inaugurated MRF is intended to provide a more organised system for handling dry waste and reduce the dependence on conventional methods of waste disposal.
Material Recovery Facilities play an important role in solid waste management by enabling the collection and processing of recyclable and other dry waste. Such infrastructure can help ensure that recyclable materials are separated and channelled for further processing instead of being disposed of along with mixed waste.
Speaking after inaugurating the facility, Capt Brijesh Chowta said scientific waste management was essential to effectively prevent environmental pollution.
He said the systematic collection and disposal of dry waste using modern methods could also create employment opportunities at the local level while generating economic resources through the recovery and recycling of materials.
Focus on modern infrastructure
Capt Chowta said infrastructure related to waste management should not be limited to major cities but should also be developed at the village and town levels.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’, he said modern facilities at the grassroots level would be important in improving civic amenities and making local bodies more self-reliant.
According to him, the Rs 60.10-lakh MRF project would help Vittal town panchayat move towards becoming a model and self-reliant town.
The facility’s three-tonne-per-day processing capacity is expected to provide the town panchayat with dedicated infrastructure for handling dry waste generated by households and commercial establishments.
Employment and economic potential
Apart from its environmental benefits, the facility is expected to have an economic dimension by enabling the recovery of recyclable materials from dry waste.
Scientific segregation and processing can improve the value of materials such as paper, plastic, metal and other recyclable items. The process also requires manpower for collection, sorting, processing and transportation, potentially creating local employment opportunities.
Proper management of dry waste can additionally reduce the quantity of waste requiring final disposal, helping local authorities manage available land and resources more efficiently.
The establishment of the MRF under the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 is therefore expected to complement the town panchayat’s broader sanitation and waste-management efforts.
Town panchayat officials were present during the inauguration programme.
Saplings planted under Seva Sankalpa campaign
Following the inauguration, Capt Chowta participated in a plantation programme as part of the Seva Sankalpa campaign organised to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years of public service.
He planted and watered saplings along with party workers at booth number 5 in Palike, under the Vittal Mahashakti Kendra of the BJP Puttur Rural Mandal.
The programme combined the focus on civic infrastructure with an environmental initiative, with participants highlighting the importance of plantation and maintaining greenery in local communities.
Town Panchayat president Karunakara, vice-president Sangeetha Panemajalu, standing committee president Ashok Kumar Shetty and Agricultural Credit Cooperative Society president Narsappa Poojary were present.
BJP leaders Devappa Poojary, Sanjay Prabhu, Prasanna Darbe, Nithesh Kumar Shanthivana, Hariprasad Yadav, Vidyadhar Jain, Srikrishna Vittal, Preetham Poonja, Uday Alangar and Harish C H also attended the programmes.
Step towards cleaner Vittal
The commissioning of the MRF provides Vittal town panchayat with dedicated infrastructure for processing dry waste and is expected to improve the town’s waste-management system.
With scientific segregation, processing and recovery of recyclable materials, the facility could help reduce environmental pollution while supporting employment and resource recovery. Its effective operation, however, will depend on regular waste segregation at source, efficient collection and consistent utilisation of the facility.