India Environment Portal Knowledge for change

Managing Wastes

• 30/01/2000

India is today one of the filthiest countries in the world but urban India"s garbage disposal can be easily managed if we get rid of the highly-bureaucratised, incompetent and corrupt municipal collection system and make it the responsibility of urban households and communities - literally implement the same participatory paradigm that has been implemented with success in rural areas in watershed management.

The problem of solid waste management has been approached from many angles in the past. Several studies have been carried out and recommendations made. However, garbage is still a problem to contend with. As a rule, the responsibility of garbage management lies with the municipalities. But despite the legal framework that empowers them to keep the cities clean, why hasn"t the system worked? Why are tonnes of garbage littered all over the place? What can be done to make the system work?

A public responsibility
Community-level management of wastes is the key to overcome the problem. Only a sustained programme involving citizens, NGOs and other organisations can solve the problem. And, more importantly, such programmes should include all sections of the society, including people living in slums.

There is a need to develop a culture of waste management - among consumers as well as producers of goods. The producers must be made responsible in varying degrees for waste creation and disposal.

The government must adopt an educative approach, beginning from the school level, so that they consciously segregate wastes at the source and undertake waste management practices such as composting and vermiculture at home or in an area close to the source of generation of wastes. This is where NGOs such as Vatavaran and Exnora can play a major role. A beginning in this direction has been made by Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit. Her plans to make garbage management a community exercise was, however, met with objections from mcd officials. After the initial hiccups, a solid waste management programme was launched in east Delhi recently (see box: Clean Delhi).

Fund crunch
When it comes to management of wastes, the municipalities fail miserably. From a lack of appropriate technology to handle the wastes to severe shortage of funds and the lax attitude of officials concerned, a whole gamut of issues haunt the local bodies.

Barring a few corporations like the one in Surat, most of them are unable to carry out an effective waste management system due to a financial crunch. The plague that claimed many lives four years ago was a virtual eye-opener for the public and the administration. The entire waste management system was overhauled by the then commissioner of Surat Municipal Corporation (smc), S R Rao. Today, smc"s total budget is to the tune of Rs 599 crore, of which Rs 30 crore is earmarked for solid waste management. However, when asked whether the Surat model for waste management could be replicated elsewhere, Hemant Desai, health officer, smc, says: "Most of the other municipalities in India cannot dream of generating such a huge amount of money so it is difficult to replicate Surat"s success elsewhere" (see box: Banking on money).

Says A D Bhinde of neeri, "The present allocation of funds (to urban local bodies) is mostly made on an ad hoc basis... Adequate funds should be provided so as to secure the appropriate level of service."

Besides provision of funds, the equipment and vehicles should also be designed and manufactured to suit local conditions, says Bhinde. Suitably-trained manpower, who have a sense of accountability, is also required to optimally utilise the various equipment and vehicles. All this could go a long way in making India a cleaner and healthier nation.

India is today one of the filthiest countries in the world but urban India"s garbage disposal can be easily managed if we get rid of the highly-bureaucratised, incompetent and corrupt municipal collection system and make it the responsibility of urban households and communities - literally implement the same participatory paradigm that has been implemented with success in rural areas in watershed management.

The problem of solid waste management has been approached from many angles in the past. Several studies have been carried out and recommendations made. However, garbage is still a problem to contend with. As a rule, the responsibility of garbage management lies with the municipalities. But despite the legal framework that empowers them to keep the cities clean, why hasn"t the system worked? Why are tonnes of garbage littered all over the place? What can be done to make the system work?

A public responsibility
Community-level management of wastes is the key to overcome the problem. Only a sustained programme involving citizens, NGOs and other organisations can solve the problem. And, more importantly, such programmes should include all sections of the society, including people living in slums.

There is a need to develop a culture of waste management - among consumers as well as producers of goods. The producers must be made responsible in varying degrees for waste creation and disposal.

The government must adopt an educative approach, beginning from the school level, so that they consciously segregate wastes at the source and undertake waste management practices such as composting and vermiculture at home or in an area close to the source of generation of wastes. This is where NGOs such as Vatavaran and Exnora can play a major role. A beginning in this direction has been made by Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit. Her plans to make garbage management a community exercise was, however, met with objections from mcd officials. After the initial hiccups, a solid waste management programme was launched in east Delhi recently (see box: Clean Delhi).

Fund crunch
When it comes to management of wastes, the municipalities fail miserably. From a lack of appropriate technology to handle the wastes to severe shortage of funds and the lax attitude of officials concerned, a whole gamut of issues haunt the local bodies.

Barring a few corporations like the one in Surat, most of them are unable to carry out an effective waste management system due to a financial crunch. The plague that claimed many lives four years ago was a virtual eye-opener for the public and the administration. The entire waste management system was overhauled by the then commissioner of Surat Municipal Corporation (smc), S R Rao. Today, smc"s total budget is to the tune of Rs 599 crore, of which Rs 30 crore is earmarked for solid waste management. However, when asked whether the Surat model for waste management could be replicated elsewhere, Hemant Desai, health officer, smc, says: "Most of the other municipalities in India cannot dream of generating such a huge amount of money so it is difficult to replicate Surat"s success elsewhere" (see box: Banking on money).

Says A D Bhinde of neeri, "The present allocation of funds (to urban local bodies) is mostly made on an ad hoc basis... Adequate funds should be provided so as to secure the appropriate level of service."

Besides provision of funds, the equipment and vehicles should also be designed and manufactured to suit local conditions, says Bhinde. Suitably-trained manpower, who have a sense of accountability, is also required to optimally utilise the various equipment and vehicles. All this could go a long way in making India a cleaner and healthier nation.