With an eye on the Lok Sabha polls, MP Navjot Singh Sidhu today staged a show of strength on the occasion of the inauguration of the Solid Waste Management Project for Amritsar, which was unveiled by Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal.

Amritsar Municipal Corporation has become the first in the state to implement the Solid Waste Management Project as per Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2000, framed as per the directions of the Supreme Court.

For the first phase of the project, MC has signed an agreement with Antony Waste Handling Cell, Mumbai. Addressing the gathering, Sidhu stated that the project costs Rs 81.24 crore, out of which 50 per cent will be financed by the Centre, 20 percent by the state government, and 30 percent by the Municipal Corporation.

“The second phase of the project, including processing and disposal of the garbage, will be started after the Centre’s approval, which is expected in March,” he said.

Sidhu added that for the second phase, separate machinery including road sweeping machines, water sprinklers, jet machines, washing tankers with jet spray, dead animal lifting and transportation van will be purchased for Rs 25 crore. He maintained that out of 600 tonnes of solid waste produced in the city daily, 10 to 15 per cent would be dumped in the sanitary landfill.

“The rest will be used for manufacturing compost and residue derived fuel, commonly known as green coal in European countries, and eco-bricks for civil construction,” he said. In charge of Punjab BJP Balbir Punj, Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia, Mayor Shawet Malik and BJP district president Col Amrik Singh were among those present on the occasion.