HIDCO mulls upscaling for solid waste management

In a bid to make New Town a smart green city, the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) is trying out upscaling for the management of solid waste.

With this, New Town will become the first area in the state to use the unique method to recycle solid waste. To emphasis sustainable practices in solid waste, three methods are usually followed, resue, renew and recycle.

In recycle, the waste product is crushed into its primitive form and then it is reused. Thus glass recycling involves crushing of bottles, melting the ground glass and shaping up again. This is quite energy and effort intensive.

Upscaling means reuse without destruction. It means the use of waste product innovatively not by crushing or melting but by adapting for a different use. For example, used tyres can be painted and mounted on poles to make colourful urban sculpture. HIDCO has decided to make outdoor tables and benches with used tyres.

In Swapno Bhor, the senior citizen's park, the one-of-its-kind in the state, empty cans have been painted and are being used as hanging flower pots. Bidisha Basu, an interior wax specialist is giving assistance to HIDCO in this venture.

HIDCO has taken up several steps to increase the green cover in New Town. Sixty thousand tree saplings are being planted and residents and NGOs have been encouraged to grow plants. Tall tree nurseries have come up and parks have been constructed in every block. Waste water is being recycled and is used to water roadside trees.