Last year, a firm RVM Recycle from Delhi installed three recycling machines in the coal town of Dhanbad, in Jharkhand, India. The machines, or as they are called smart bins, were installed under the brand name Zeleno on three different locations provided by Dhanbad Municipal Corporation (DMC). The motive was to inspire an eco-friendly waste disposal system and encourage people to get rid of used bottles and cans in an environmental-friendly manner as a part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
Smart bins are no longer operational in Dhanbad / Image: The Telegraph
According to the arrangements, people were to put bottles and cans into the recycling bins and it would generate a paper coin. These paper coins could be used to get discounts at some specified local shops with whom the RVM Recycle was to have some tie-ups.
Unfortunately, for the past few months, these smart bins have been out of order. The lack of awareness among people and the irresponsibility of authorities has led to the failure of this noble initiative. The shop owners were reluctant to enter into a contract with the Delhi firm, hence, the machines stopped working altogether.
According to the Marketing Head of RVM Recycle, the DMC was to pay Rs. 17,000 per machine per month to the firm as operational charges, but they did not receive any payment for the past 10 months. As per the local authorities, lack of awareness among the users was the main cause for the blunt failure of the smart bins.
In defense of DMC, Mayor Chandrashekhar Agarwal said that the machines were installed by RVM Recycle not the DMC, and it was not DMC’s fault that machines failed. However, he managed to avoid the accusations, made by Delhi firm, of not paying operational charges. The mayor also held the public and the shopkeepers responsible for fall of the cause.
Among all these allegations, the failure of smart bins in Dhanbad poses a question of accountability and credibility of people regarding the environment.
Via: The Telegraph