Siliguri, July 29 (Siliguri Chronicle) – The Trinamool-led Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) has decided to set up a thermocol recycling unit in the city to help reduce pollution.
Thermocol, made from polystyrene, is non-biodegradable and widely seen as a major environmental pollutant.
This will be the second thermocol recycling unit in the state, with the first one located in Calcutta. According to sources, the decision was taken after a team from the Siliguri Municipal Corporation — including the member, mayor-in-council (conservancy) — recently visited the Calcutta plant.
“We will install a thermocol recycling unit to reduce environmental pollution. In Calcutta, there is a similar unit at Kolay Market (near Sealdah), and now, we will have a second plant in the regulated market area,” Gautam Deb, the mayor, said on Monday.
The recycling unit will come up near the regulated market in Champasari, located off NH10 in the northern part of the city. This market is the largest wholesale hub for vegetables, fruits, and fish in north Bengal.
A civic body official said that thermocol boxes are widely used in the area for packaging fish and fruits, resulting in large amounts of waste.
On Monday, mayor Goutam Deb held a meeting with wholesale traders, members of the regulated market committee, and representatives of retail market committees. The project details were shared with them through a presentation.
“We will implement the project at the regulated market premises with the assistance of the 15th finance commission. Soon, a joint survey will be conducted by the officials of SMC, the state PWD, and the agri-marketing department. Then, the detailed project report will be prepared,” added Deb.
“The estimated project cost is ₹70 lakh, and the plant will have a capacity to recycle around 500kg of thermocol every day. Once recycled, different items ranging from buttons to photo frames to toys can be made from it,” said Manik Dey, the MMIC (conservancy), of SMC.
The state agricultural department, which oversees the regulated market, also plans to upgrade the sewage system, improve the power supply, and install CCTV cameras in the area to enhance surveillance, a source said.
