Reported by Avik Chakraborty
Dibrugarh: The Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF) was inaugurated at Lekai, Dibrugarh, on Friday. It is the first facility of its kind in Assam and the entire Northeast and will handle industrial, biomedical, and other types of waste.
Dibrugarh MLA Prasanta Phukan inaugurated the Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF) at Lekai in Dibrugarh. The estimated project cost is Rs 25 crore.
The facility, established under the Assam Waste Management Project, has the capacity to process over 1,000 metric tonnes of solid waste daily. It will serve not only Dibrugarh but also the neighbouring towns of Duliajan and Chabua, creating a comprehensive regional waste management solution.
Industrial waste from Duliajan and Naharkatia will also be processed at the plant.
“This facility marks a new chapter in Dibrugarh’s journey towards becoming a model city. As Dibrugarh is being projected as Assam’s second capital, it is only fitting that we set the highest standards in urban infrastructure, and waste management is a critical part of that vision,” Phukan stated during the inauguration ceremony.
The event was attended by District Commissioner Bikram Kairi, Pollution Control Board Chairman Arup Kumar Mishra, Member Secretary Mousumi Bardalai, and Navas Das, Commissioner-in-Charge of the Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation (DMC).
The inauguration comes amid increased state government focus on developing Dibrugarh as Assam’s second capital, with urban infrastructure, civic amenities, and environmental standards being upgraded to reflect this elevated status.
The IWMF is expected to significantly reduce unmanaged solid waste in the region, minimise environmental degradation, and align Dibrugarh with national urban waste processing standards.
Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation officials confirmed that the plant will operate in coordination with local bodies across the covered towns to ensure efficient waste collection and transportation to the facility.
“This plant is the first of its kind in the entire Northeast. It was established to address environmental compliance issues. This plant can cater to the waste generated in Assam. It was set up to solve the problems of industrial and biomedical waste. We are hopeful about this project because it will give a boost to the government’s solid waste management plan,” said an official.