Shillong, April 07: The first black toping of one kilometer road use of waste plastic in Meghalaya wad completed today at Nongkynjeng village in West Khasi Hills District , the black toping was built with shredded waste plastic technology in convergence with MGNREGA and Megha-LAMP.
The technology developed by Mr Rajagopalan Vasudevan, a chemistry professor from Madurai, uses finely-shredded plastic waste that is added to heated bitumen. This technology has been used extensively in parts of Tamilnadu and Karnataka. However this is the first time such technology being implemented by a district administration in North East.
According to a World Economic Forum (WEF) report, plastic can make roads more durable against changing weather — floods, extreme heat and extreme cold. It has less water carrying capacity than normal roads meaning no cracks, potholes or craters. They are not only greener, but are also stronger and maintenance-free, they could last about three times as long as conventional road. It also reduces the quantity of bitumen used.
Another two roads in villages Nonglwai I and II are in the pipeline which we hope to complete by end of this month. We have already consumed 470 kgs of plastic waste like polythene carry bags, plastic cups, chips packets, foam packaging etc for one km. Not just waste plastic from Nongstoin we are importing plastic from Shillong as well which could have otherwise littered our roads. If all roads in Meghalaya are built using this technology we can get rid of the plastic menace which is a necessary evil in modern world.
Built with only Rs.33 lakh for a km this is the most cost effective road one can hope to get. The finesse and the finishing is as good as any national highway. Interested ones can visit Nongkynjeng village and see for themselves. Thanks to the Nongkynjeng villagers and the headman for the cooperation they extended to DC office and block office in executing this project.
