Smart City Ahmedabad Solid Waste Management through data

July 30, 2019

Author: Yatindra Naik

Ahmedabad: Better management of Solid Waste using data

Almost 4,000 Metric Tons of solid waste (including 300 tons of C&D waste) is generated from the city daily. Nearly 50% of the entire waste is collected from municipal bins and from street sweeping. Earlier due to a lack of a proper vision for Solid Waste Management (SWM), there was absence of proper waste collection. The household waste was either disposed of in the open or burnt away. Segregation was merely a dream and the rag pickers were not roped into the formal system. Our land and water bodies were contaminated, and the result was wide spread diseases in our cities. Soon the urban local bodies, including AMC understood the importance of a proper solid waste management service and that it was the government’s duty to provide the same. It became important that the cities were both functional and beautiful for its residents as well as the tourists visiting them.

So, AMC has developed efficient systems for waste management, including the following:

• Classification of waste in 30 categories
• Generators of waste based on their type, 20 categories
• Segregation of waste
• Storage of waste
• Delivery & collection of waste
• Processing & disposal of waste
• Prevention of Waterborne, Vector borne and Food borne diseases
• Offences under the bye-laws
• General offenses applicable to all the citizens within city limit
• Schedule of Fines

 

GPS and RFID system

GPS & RFID based monitoring system are now in use for effective Door to Door Waste Collection. Vehicles deployed for door to door waste collection are GPS and RFID tracked for effective monitoring and supervision. This system is deployed in more than 1000 different vehicles for door to door dump collection vehicles, Container lifting vehicles, Road Sweeping machines etc.

Reports generated by GPS Device comprise of :-

• Collection Points: Vehicle Summary such as vehicle id, first and last collection points, Collection start time and end time for the day, Total distance traveled, Total no of speed violations
• Day Wise Report – for all locations
• Show all Point of Interest (POIs)
• Report for Citizen’s View
• Time Wise Report
• Daily Km Report
• Stoppage Report
• Vehicle History

Results/ Impact

Among 14.33 lacs residential units, there are 839 routes and separate routes for 4.59 lacs commercial units have been prepared. Thus, additional total 6.8 lacs units comprising of newly added 2.21 lacs residential and 4.59 commercial units have been covered in this system. Approximately, each vehicle will collect and transport 1250 kg of waste daily.

By the regular tracking of SWM collection, the % coverage of POI has improved to 97% as the system is able to trace the timely data zone-wise and ward-wise.

Main benefits of GPS & RFID based monitoring system

• Satisfactory response to civic complaint
• Fleet management of vehicles with time
• Information of collection of solid waste of each route and vehicle with time
• Working of vehicles can be seen on map
• Increase in service, accuracy and safety
• Integration of dump site, weigh-bridge
• More effective system of collection of solid waste
• More effective assessment of working of contractor
• Trustworthiness of payment of contractor
• Reduction in the number of placing big containers at certain spots is eventually helping in less number of stray animals.
• Reduces air and water pollution due to filthy smell and overflowing of semi-liquid waste.