
NFR to turn Guwahati rly stn into fully plastic-recyclable hub
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NFR is collaborating with IIT-Guwahati and the Assam Pollution Control Board to devise an action plan. M/s Kusum Udyog, a PCBA-approved recycling agency, was tasked with submitting a comprehensive proposal for the project, NFR chief public relations officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said.
He added that the railway department is working in tandem with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Guwahati and the Assam Pollution Control Board (PCBA), where they are devising an action plan for this initiative.
"The agenda also included reviewing current waste disposal practices, identifying high-impact areas, and formulating a joint action plan to minimise single-use plastic and enhance sustainable practices. Furthermore, the Scouts and Guides of NFR organised public awareness activities such as placard displays and drama performances to raise awareness among the passengers as well," Sharma said.
Under this project, the plastic waste generated at the station will be collected, shredded, washed, and properly segregated before being recycled.
The aim is to make the station the first plastic-free railway station in India through this waste management and recycling effort, following which it will be carried out in other railway stations under the NFR's jurisdiction.
"On an average, the station generates around 150 to 200 kilograms of waste daily, which is initially dumped at a site near the railway station and later transported to the landfill by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC).
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However, with proper awareness and waste segregation, the generated waste can be effectively recycled," Sharma said.
He added, "This would allow for better utilisation of Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) and Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), which can then process the organic wet waste into compost, ultimately repurposing it as natural fertiliser. Once this becomes a success in this station, we will carry out similar operations in our other railway stations as well, and five stations under NFR have already been selected."
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