The Meghalaya Government has embarked on a hi-tech waste management project to clean up its cities and turn garbage and wastes to productive use as a spin-off.
An Expression of Interest floated by the government recently for such a pilot project here has had as many as seven Indian and international companies showing interest. The list was later pruned to three.
Shillong city has been selected to host the pilot project.
The Urban Affairs Minister, Ms Ampareen Lyngdoh, who had visited the plant sites of two such hi-tech waste management plants in Pune, shortlisted by the government, said she intended to inspect the third site in Bangalore early next year.
“What impressed me and my officers the most is the fact that both the plants generate electricity using shredded plastic and other wastes. They also produce organic fertilisers. This could be implemented here on a PPP mode,” Ms Lyngdoh said.
Apart from generating electricity, the plants would also create direct and indirect employment for the youth, she said.
In Pune, she said, at least 80 entrepreneurs had been employed in the project. Besides, rag-pickers have also been engaged in collecting wastes for the plants, the minister said.
The Shillong Municipal Board has to deal with 170 tonnes of household wastes on a daily basis.