One of the positive effects of the lockdown in Dehradun is being seen in about 35 per cent drop in generation of garbage in the provisional state capital. Stating this, the Sheeshambada solid waste management and recycling plant head of garbage collection and transportation, Rakesh Upadhyay said that various commercial and other activities had ceased in the city due to the lockdown which has resulted in lesser garbage generation.

According to him, these days the quantity of garbage collected by the sanitation workers has reduced by about 30 to 35 per cent. Before the lockdown was imposed an average 330 metric tonnes of garbage was generated per day in the city.

However, after the lockdown was imposed, the quantity has dropped to about 260-270 metric tonnes per day. Upadhyay said, "We are taking all the precautions for the safety of our workers. We are sanitising the garbage collection vehicles before and after collecting the garbage every day. The garbage collection workers are also provided with sufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits including sanitisers."

On being asked about the health check up of sanitation workers, Upadhyay said that the regular health check of workers at the plant has been initiated and soon it will be conducted for the workers operating in the city too.

The project head of the Sheeshambada waste management plant MA Saify also confirmed the reduction in the garbage received by the plant. Saify said that the quantity of garbage reaching the plant daily has dropped by about 25 tonnes.

He also stated that there is no shortage of workers in the plant and all the workers are equipped with PPE kit and that the Ramky company is also paying incentives to them.

Moreover, Saify also informed that No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the operation of the Sheeshambada plant has also been renewed by Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board (UEPPCB).

It is pertinent to mention here that Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) was reportedly dumping the garbage in the plant without NOC since last year as it had not been renewed by UEPPCB citing several reasons.