Bihar to produce fuel from garbage: minister

Patna, July 17 (UNI) Bihar Urban Development Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey today called upon the people to actively participate in the government's initiative to protect environment through better solid waste management.

Inaugurating an International Workshop on Advisory Services in Environment Management, Mr Choubey said the government has acquired fifty acres of land for disposal of solid waste. Steps were being taken to install industrial units for recycling the waste product to produce fuel, he added.

Mr Kumar said the government had approved a proposal for establishing the industrial units for production of petrol from solid waste. He exhorted the people to cultivate civic sense and dispose off garbage at identifed places, which would be collected by the cleaners for final disposal at the outskirt of the city.

Talking about the problem of water logging in Patna, he said that drainage area had been encroached by many ''influential'' people and buildings were erected, creating obstacle in the smooth flow of sewage water. He said the government had ordered for removal of encroachments to clear the drains.

Polythene which constitutes seven to eight per cent of the solid waste, choke drains that leads to water logging, he said. He called upon the people to shun polythene and protect the environment.

The government had allotted Rs 12 crore to different municipal bodies for purchasing tractors and other machineries to be used in removal of solid waste. Patna Municipal corporation had been allotted Rs 1.5 crore for purchase of machineries to be used for clearing the choked drains, he added.

UNI XC-RS PC VD RN1412