Chandigarh Education Department Sells E-Waste from Schools, Allocates Funds for New Computers

The Chandigarh education department has initiated the sale of e-waste from government schools, generating revenue of ₹36 lakh through the government e-marketplace (GeM) portal. This move, aimed at disposing of obsolete electronic items, aligns with the Swachhata Abhiyan launched by the prime minister.

The e-waste sale includes a variety of items such as computers, monitors, CPUs, keyboards, typewriters, UPS, batteries, among others, totaling 87 categories. These items, currently stored in the basement of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 10, will be recycled following the end of the academic year.

The disposal process adheres to guidelines issued by the UT administration in 2014, categorizing items based on their lifespan and usability. E-waste, once declared obsolete, is disposed of in accordance with the e-Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2011, through registered e-waste collectors/recyclers.

Director School Education Harsuhinderpal Singh Brar expressed satisfaction with the clearance of obsolete waste, noting that space can now be effectively utilized. Additionally, the education department has allocated funds to purchase around 1,000 new computers for government schools, meeting the requirement of 40 working computers per school mandated by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

The tender for new computers has been awarded to Dell, featuring specialized units with the CPU integrated behind the monitor, at a cost of ₹40,000 per computer.

Through these initiatives, the Chandigarh education department aims to modernize school infrastructure, ensure compliance with CBSE standards, and contribute to environmental sustainability by responsibly managing e-waste.