SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN CALICUT CORPORA TION

5.0 Normally environmental degradation is perceived in terms of

industrial pollution, deforestation, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity and

so on. Solid wastes have moved to the centre of the environmental stage

in the last 10 to 15 years due to the exponential growth of the P game,

i.e. growth and concentration of People, Products, Power, Pollutants and

Places. The Pneumonic Plague, which hit Surat in September 1994 made

the people conversant on the problem of pile of rotting garbage.

Recently the unattended garbage is considered as a hard nut to be

cracked under the purview of environmental problems.

Waste materials are generated in three forms of matter, namely

solid, liquid and gaseous. Liquid and gaseous wastes are permitted to

escape from the sources only after proper treatment to make them

hazard free. Moreover these two forms are generated in dangerous and

bulk quantities only by limited number of concerns which are identified.

But waste in solid form is generated by individuals, households and

commercial establishments irrespectively. Even in better managed cities

the problem of solid waste disposal and management appear almost

intractable. The studies conducted by different agencies reveal that the

problems of solid waste pollution are almost identical in metropolitan

cities and smaller towns across the country.

Reliable estimates of solid waste generation are not readily

available, most of the estimates are based on per capita norms. It is

estimated that each urban resident generates 350 to 1,000 grns of solid

wastes every day. If the wastes from commercial and industrial

establishments are considered the total waste generated per day will add

upto an enormous quantity.

The accumulated and unattended solid wastes lead to serious

problems due to the several types of damages it cause to the

environment. The unscientific disposal of waste materials including

biodegradable and biomedical wastes lead to serious health hazards by

way of water, air and soil pollution. When they are put into open dumps

they min the beauty of the surrounding areas and become an abode of

disease carrying microbes, such as bactena, virus, fungi and dreadful

unicellular organism. Wastes dumped into water bodies lead to various

forms of water pollution and may destroy aquatic habitation. Once the

water stream gets polluted it can't be changed into its previous natural

and non polluted form. Some waste can be destroyed by burning or

incinerating them, but this produces smoke that causes air pollution.

138

The negative externalities emerged due to improper disposal of

waste include health damages to human beings and animals, and

aesthetic impairment from unsightly litter and trash accumulation. The

dengue fever and Weil's disease epidemics seen in Kerala for last three

years is an example of how urbanization, urban conveniences and

modernization without proper planning and care of waste management

lead to the spread of disease. Ironically, both the lack of proper waste

management and the provision of improper management trigger disease

syndrome which often become uncontrollable because of lack of

understanding of the dimension of disease.

Moreover the plastic waste content in solid waste are increasing

in a tremendous manner making the problem of waste management as a

complicated one. The throw away plastic bags and pet bottles lead to so

many adverse impacts to human beings and natural habitation. It also

pose a grave danger to cows and other animals which wander about the

city streets for food, the plastics ingested with food, clogs the intestine

and leads to a painful death to the animals. The deaths of some inmates

in Trivandrum zoo in recent past reveal how the plastic containers and

carry bags affect the animal life. From all these contexts, it is clear that

an urgent measure is required for the proper collection and management

of solid waste materials from our surroundings and thereby curbing

pollution.

5.1 Solid Waste Problem in Calicut corporation

As a fast developing city the Calicut corporation also faces the

ever hlminating problem of solid waste pollution. According to 1991

census the corporation has a population of 4,19,831 with 67,468

households, in addition to this nearly one lakh people are considered to

be the floating population of the city per day. The effective population

then come to be 5.25 lakhs. Moreover, the city has 71 6 hotels, more than

70 hospitals 23 1 dispensaries, 150 clinical laboratories 1,3 12 Industr~al

units, 10,661 commercial establishments and a medical college hospital.

Apart from these there are 17 fish markets, one central fish market, one

central vegetable market, 87 beef stalls, 23 mutton stalls and 207

chicken stalls. The city also have 25 commercially rented auditoriums

and 7 cremation grounds, all these establishments are considered as the

major sources of solid waste generation.

A study conducted by Kerala Urban Development Project in

1994, found out that the per capita solid waste generation in Calicut

corporation comes to 203 grams per day. But the recent trend of

consumption panern and higher standard of living changed this rate into

nearly 380 grams per day. The current total waste generation estimated

per day ranges between 220 metric tons to 240 metric, tons. In addition

to this nearly 20 metric tons of solid waste come to corporation through

external sources per day, such a large quantity of waste requires proper

system of collection, transportation and disposal.

In the past the solid waste pollution was not considered as a

problem, at that time the only waste that the corporation authority has to

be managed was the human excreta from pit latrines and dead bodies of

animals within the corporation area. The rubbish and night soil were

collected from the city by corporation authority and taken to the

trenching ground and converted it into compost manure. Moreover the

solid waste at that time mainly consisted of biodegradable contents and

the inhabitants had enough land to dispose them in their own plots. But

recently with increasing population and income, the lifestyle of urban

residents is changing, the use and throw trend is gaining ground

everywhere, and the use of non biodegradable materials for

confectionary packing and throw away coffee cups become the necessity

of life, over the last five years the composition of waste change with

rapid increase in paper, plastic, metal and hazardous materials.

As per available literature the total solid waste generated from a

town like Calicut is expected to have approximately the following

physical composition.

7 Fig. 5.1 Physical composition of solid waste

These values are interpolated approximation by statistical

calculations done on data obtained from similar localities. Out of the

total volume of solid waste generated in the corporation area, the

corporation authority collects an average of 110 to 115 metric tons per

day. About 60 to 65 metric tons of recyclable parts of solid waste are

taken away by rag pickers and waste collectors for recycling and nearly

7 to 9 metric tons are reused by waste generators themselves. The

142

remaining parts of solid wastes are dispersed or dumped as unattended

or uncollected waste.

The collection service conducted by corporation authority is

mainly street sweeping and lifting of garbage bins. The poor collection

service leads to unattended waste, which makes the surroundings dirty

and filthy, chokes drains and also promotes the breeding of disease

carrying vectors which may result in epidemics. In this context a proper

garbage collection and disposal ensures good health for the community

on the one hand and a positive impact on the overall socio-economic

condition of the society.

5.2 Solid waste management options

Presently there are two important views about looking at the

problem of solid waste, the first one is coloured 'green' by

environmental concerns and the catchwords are d ~ r t and ugliness, the

management of this view is for cleanliness and beautification of the

surrounding envlronment. In most of the towns and cities this part of

waste management come under the local authority and the problem is

resolved by the formal system of solid waste management. The second

view pertains to recycling or recovery. This part is managed by a wide

143

range of people, from the poorest of the poor in urban areas represented

by the rag pickers through petty traders to the entrepreneurs and workers

involved in manufacturing products from recycled materials and eke out

a living from collecting part of the generated urban waste and

reprocessing it. This informal system of solid waste management also

contributes to cleaning cities, where local authorities fail.

Like, other urban areas, Calicut corporation also consists of

formal and informal system of waste management. About 65 percent of

the total solid waste generated in Calicut corporation is managed by the

corporation authority under the formal system of waste management.

Nearly 60 to 65 metric tons of non bio degradable parts mainly consists

of paper, plastic, metal and glass scrap, which constitute the raw

material for the reprocessing industry handled by informal system of

waste management. This informal system of waste management is

becoming popular through waste collectors consisting of rag pickers and

itinerant buyers. The importance of informal system of waste

management is that this activity reduces the burden of the municipal

system and also provides employment and income to a large number of

people. The advent of plastics, metal cans and the use of sophisticated

packaging materials provide more importance to this informal system of

waste management.

5.3 Formal solid waste management system in Calicut corporation

The Calicut corporation authority contributes significantly to

community health and hygiene by clearing the streets and public areas in

the city through formal system of waste management. The formal

system consists of collection and transportation of city waste to the

trenching ground and conversion of it into biofertiliser. Collection and

transportation of solid waste is undertaken by the corporation authority

and the processing of waste into manure is under the control of a private

company.

5.3.1 Collection and transportation of solid waste

The management of solid waste is totally under the control of the

health department and the corporation health officer regulates the

functions of this department. For the administratwe convenience the

corporation area is divided into 16 sanitary circles, the health supervisor

controls the activities of all these circles. Each of the circle is under the

control of a health inspector, below him there is health assistants, junior

health inspectors and sanitary supervisors. The table 5.1 shows the total

strength of administrative staff in Calicut corporation for solid waste

management.

Table 5.1 Administrative staff strength of solid waste management

in Calicut corporation r I

SI. No.

1

/ 4 1 Health inspectors l 4 1

2

3

Description

Health officer

Number

1

Health supervisor

First grade health inspectors

5

6

1

2

I

Junior health inspectors

Sanitary supervisors

Total

39

6

5 3

Source: Corporation Records

Out of the generated solid waste nearly 60-65 percent is collected

by corporation authority by employing waste management workers.

They also perform the duty of street sweeping and drainage cleaning.

Each circle in Calicut corporation contains 8 sweepers, 4 drain cleaners,

4 cart men and 15 sanitary workers. The table 5.2 shows the total

strength of workers engaged in waste management of Calicut

corporation.

Table 5.2 Strength of workers in formal system of waste

management

1 5 1 Trenching ground workers 1 25 1

S1. No.

1

2

3

4

1 6 1 Transport wing workers 1 66 1

Description

Sweepers

Drain cleaners

Cart men

Sanitary workers

For the purpose of collection, corporation placed nearly 750

Number

212

87

120

134

Total

dustbins in different locations of the town and there are 6 sub depots

644

also working for this purpose. Apart from these, seven modem

Source: Corporation Records

containers are placed in most important waste generating places of

corporation area. The collected waste from the corporation area is

transported to the trenching ground at Njellian Paramba, 10 Kilometers

away from the centre town and situated in the adjoining Cheruvannur

panchayat for hrther processing.

The transport wing of Calicut corporation for solid waste

management consists of 106 hand carts, 42 wheel barrels, 18 tractor

with trailers, 6 tipper lorries, 2 multi handling dumper placers, 7

containers and one excavator. The total strength of drivers for this

pupose is not adequate, the corporation has 34 drivers, out of this 25 are

tractor drivers and 9 are heavy vehicle drivers, these drivers are also

utilized for other driving duties of the corporation.

The trenching ground at Njellian Paramba have a total area of 18

acres and 4 cents adjoined to the national highway, the area is fenced by

compound walls around the ground, but there is way for illegal entry to

this ground. Since the contraries are not separated the collected solid

waste contains plastic gloves, metals, slaughter house waste and even

hospital waste, this attracts birds, stray dogs and rag pickers. The waste

strewn around this place is further disbursed by birds like crows, eagles

etc. Nearly 400 families are inhabited in the surrounding area of

trenching ground, they had complained about the foul smell emanating

from trenching ground. During rainy season the seepage from the

ground reaches to the wells of neighbouring areas, the disbursing of

waste particles by birds also contaminate the water sources of adjoining

area. Doctors in this area are of the opinion that there is high incidence

of worms' infection compared to other localities having no

environmental pollution. The high rate of fly population and mosquitos

148

can be assigned due to atmosphere pollution of this area. Fortunately,

people still survive in this locality, the credit should go to the natural

immunity they have acquired and the gift of longevity of life.

5.3.2 Processing of solid waste

Calicut corporation use the conventional trench method of land

filling of solid waste upto the last year, but recently due to the continued

agitation of the inhabitants of surrounding area of the trenching ground,

a new technique of bioconversion of waste into biofertiliser is started by

corporation under the control of a private company. Now the solid waste

is converted into usehl organic manure through controlled aerobic

composting and mechan~cal s~eving. The corporation set up the plant

with technical know how of Excel industries, Mumbai. All organic

matters will be converted into manure by biological process, the matters

like, plastics, metal, paper and other nondegradable wastes separated on

mechanical sieving are disposed off by land fill operation. All necessary

infrastructure facilities are prov~ded by the corporation and the

processing is done by the Excel industries under lease mechanism.

The processing conslsts of two stages, known as biological

process for decomposition of city waste and a mechanical process for

screening the decomposed organic matter. The existing plant has a

processing capacity of 300 metric tons per day, but now it is utilizing a

processing capacity of 100 metric tons with one shift working. The

processing of waste started with the spraying of a biological innoculum,

known as 'Celrich substrate DF-BC-01' it is a mixture of biological

enzymes and herbal extracts, the innoculam is prepared by using the

mixture of bacteria, cow dung and water. Within a couple of hours after

the application of innoculam solid waste becomes free from foul smell

and hazardous pathogens. The treated garbage is then stacked in the

form of windrows. Separate windrows will be formed for each day's

collection, these windrows will be turned once in a week for proper

aeration, so that aerobic process continues unintenupted. Progress of

composting is monitored by measuring inside temperature of the heap

and the level of moisture. For optimum results, the temperature has to be

between 65-70 degree centigrade and the moisture level should be 25%,

this stage of composting is completed with in 20-25 days period.

The second stage is mechanical process for screening out the

digested organic matter in the form of powder free from all impurities.

The digested compost is highly heterogeneous having impurities of

various shapes, sizes and texture, hence the screening has to be done in

150

different stages, suitable machines based on different screening

principles are employed at different stages. Digested compost firstly fed

to the tray feeder by front end loader, the garbage thereafter pass

through a rotary sifter where unwanted and undigested material like

plastics, bigger stones, bottles etc, are separated out. Output of this

rotary sifter is lifted through a bucket elevator and fed to a vibrating

screen which separate smaller pebbles and impurities. The screened

organic matter then sent through a stone separator with arrangements for

separation, the output in the finer form then fed to the paddle mixer,

imoculam containing various useful microbes, like Azetobactor,

Rhyzobium, and micro nutrients are sprayed into the mixture in required

proportion for enriching the compost. The final product i.e. biofert~lizer

is then packed and marketed by the company. This end product has a

very good acceptability among the farmers for agriculture as well as

horticulture crops, it improves soil fertility, soil texture and water

retention capacity of soil, thereby increasing production.

The existing plant in Calicut corporation is working under the

control of Wynsem Agro Products under a subleasing mechanism. The

company employs a total of 22 employees at office, plant and yard, the

detailed description of the labour strength is given in table 5.3.

Table 5.3 Employees description of Wynsem Agro Products

1 Description I No. 1 Descri~tion 1 No. 1 Descri~tion I No. / r YARD

Workers Workers Office Manager

Supervisors Office Assistant

J.C.B. Drivers Bobcat operators

I Helpers I 2 I Fitters 1 2 1 I 1

PLANT OFFICE

Apart from the plant machineries, the plant uses two J.C.B. and

two Bobcats for their processing operations.

Total

5.4 Cost of collection and transportation

Total cost of collection and transportation of solid waste in

Calicut corporation include the capital expenditure and revenue

expenditure incurred for this purpose, the capital expenditure incurred

mainly for the purchase of vehicles and containers for storage, collection

and transportation. The salary of administrative staff and workers, fuel

and repair charges, maintenance expenses and other miscellaneous

Source Company Records

10

Plant Manager

Total

1

10 Total 2

152

expenses come under revenue expenditure for collection and

transportation. The table 5.4 reveals the total vehicles and containers

used by Calicut corporation for collection and transportation and their

corresponding costs.

Table 5.4 Capital cost of vehicles and containers

Description / N o I Cost (Rs.) 1 I

2 I I I

/ 6 1 Tipper lorries @ 7.5 lakhs 1 6 / 45,00,000 1

Dust bins @ Rs. 3,000 each

Containers @ Rs. 30,000 each

3

4

5

Multi handling dumper placers @ 10

Excavator @ 15 lakhs

Total 2,40,27,600

Source: Corporation Records

The table 5.5 reveals the monthly salary paid to the administrative

staff of Calicut corporation for the management of solid waste.

750

7

Wheel barrels @ Rs. 2,800 each

Tractor with trailors @ 6 lakhs

22,50,000

2,10,000

26,50,000 Hand carts @ Rs. 25,000 each 106

42

1 8

1,17,600

1,08,00,000

Table 5.5 Monthly salary of administrative staff for solid waste

management

S1. No.

1

2

3

The table 5.6 shows the monthly remuneration paid to workers

4

5

6

engaged in collection and transportation of solid waste in the study area.

Description

r

Health officer

Health supervisor

First grade health inspector

Table 5.6 Monthly remuneration to workers in collection and

Source: Corporation Budget, 2001-2002.

Health inspector

Junior health inspector

Sanitary supervisor

Total

No.

1

1

2

Amount (Rs.)

14,852.00

11,732.00

16,916.00

4

39

6

53

transportation wing

Y

3 1,992.00

2,91,174.00

33,468.00

4,00,134.00

SI. No.

1

3

2 1 Cart men 1 120 1 4,99,516.80

Drain cleaners

5

Amount (Rs.) Descr~ption

4 1 Sanitarv workers 1 134 1 5,41,387.40

Sweepers

Total

No.

87

6 1 Trans~ort wing workers 1 66 1 2.70.246.00

Trenching ground workers

3,48,948.00

212

25 1 87,130.00

Source: Corporution Budget, 2001-2002.

644

8,58,688.00

26,05,916.20

The corporation also incurred Rs. 21,59,008.00 for fuel and repair

of vehicles used for collection and transportation and a maintenance

expense of Rs. 4,31,446.00 during last year. Apart from these

corporation spend Rs. 8,40,008.00 as miscellaneous expenses for

collection and transportation of solid waste. Out of these expenses the

monthly expense of the corporation incurred for collection and

transportation is calculated and given in table 5.7

Table 5.7 Monthly expenses for collection and transportation of solid waste

Description Amount (Rs.)

I 1 1 Adjusted capital depreciation (@ 10%) 1 2,00,230.00 / 1 2 / Salary to administrative staff 1 4,00,134.00 1

By incurring Rs. 34,92,158.60 the corporation authority collects

and transports a monthly average of 3,450 metric tons of solid waste

from the corporation area. The cost per ton for the collection and

3

4

5

6

Source; Estimated from corporation Budget, 2001-2002

Remuneration to workers

Fuel and repair charges

Maintenance expenses

Miscellaneous expenses

Total

26,05,916.20

1,79,924.00

35,953.80

70,000.60

34,92,158.60

transportation is calculated as Rs. 1,012.22 in the formal system of solid

waste management of Calicut corporation.

5.5 Processing cost of formal solid waste management

The collected solid waste within the study area is processed by a

private company through the bioconversion technique. The total project

cost of the processing unit is illustrated in table 5.8.

Table 5.8 Project cost of processing unit

Items --- --

1 1 I Land development

/ 3 ( Handling machines 1 53.00 1 2

1 4 1 Processing machines

Building, Roads etc.

1 6 1 lnnoculation system 1 2.00 /

135.08

5

r r i t i s iii Other assets

Technical know how

Total 350.58

Source; Project Repon

Electricals 10.00

Apart from the project cost the corporation incurred some capital

expenditure for purchasing more vehicles and the equipment5 for this

scheme. The total capital cost of the scheme then come to Rs. 537 lakhs.

This cost is met through central government aid, state government aid,

loan from Hudco and corporation fund. As per project report the fixed

cost incurred per year come to Rs. 96.5 lakhs and variable cost come to

Rs. 550 per ton. The daily production of biofertiliser is 20 metric tons

and the total cost per ton is calculated as 1,890.30 for processing.

The processed material branded as 'Biogreeen' is marketed by the

company in 50 Kgs bags at a price of Rs 2751- per bag. The total

production of fertilizer comes to 600 metric tons per month and it yields

33 lakhs Income to the company. Apart from the income from the sale of

the product the company earns an average of Rs. 3,500 per month from

the sale of rejected recyclable rnatenals of production process to the

waste dealen. The company pays a lease value of Rs. 30 lakhs and a

royalty of Rs. 20 lakhs to the corporation per annum as a major part of

their expenditure.