CCTV, Sanitation, Sustainability: Corporation Eyes Major Civic Push For Silchar

In an effort to overhaul civic governance and address long-standing enforcement gaps, the Silchar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has unveiled an ambitious civic roadmap for 2026, with town-wide surveillance and enhanced waste management at its core.

A major highlight of the plan is the installation of CCTV cameras at 77 strategic locations across Silchar during the year. According to SMC Commissioner Srishti Singh, the surveillance network is aimed at curbing illegal garbage dumping, traffic violations and encroachments, issues that have repeatedly strained municipal enforcement.

According to the officer, continuous monitoring will help identify offenders, impose penalties and improve coordination between traffic management teams and vending zone regulators. The move is expected to bring greater accountability and act as a deterrent against repeated violations.

The city currently generates around 100 tonnes of solid waste daily, exerting immense pressure on existing infrastructure. To cope with this, SMC has intensified door-to-door garbage collection and streamlined disposal through designated dumping zones. Nearly 50 per cent of legacy waste accumulated at trenching grounds has already been cleared, marking a significant step towards reducing environmental load.

Looking ahead, a compressed biogas (CBG) plant proposed by Oil India is under active consideration. The plant aims to convert organic waste into clean energy, offering a sustainable solution to Silchar’s growing waste problem. Singh said land identification for the project is underway, while full-scale waste processing systems may take one to two years to stabilise.

To further strengthen waste handling, Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and compressed garbage management systems are being upgraded. Commercial waste collection has also been introduced, with fines imposed on violators, although municipal taxes and user charges remain unchanged.

The Municipal Commissioner has stressed that citizen cooperation and behavioural change are crucial for the success of these initiatives, noting that enforcement alone cannot achieve long-term cleanliness.

Beyond waste management, the 2026 civic revamp plan includes mechanised road sweeping, night-time cleaning drives, improved sanitation facilities, and stricter regulation of high-footfall areas, added Singh.

Surveillance-backed enforcement, combined with sustainable waste solutions, will mark a turning point in Silchar’s civic administration, setting a new benchmark for cleanliness, sanitation, and public order in the town, hopes Singh.