Dr. D R Kapoor
Management of Solid and Liquid Waste continues to remain one of the core issues of city development. Effective management of SLW calls for assessment of major sources of wastes, quantum of waste, and characteristics of waste generated. First the major sources of solid and liquid waste are households , institutions namely, small & domestic industries, banquet halls, vehicle-washing centres, hospitals, nursing homes and laboratories, educational and coaching centres, hotels and restaurants, eating points, shopkeepers, vendors, tourists, animals, and hawkers. Second, quantum of solid and liquid waste generated per capita ranges between 700grams to one kg per day.
Third, the characteristics of solid and liquid waste can be classified into bio-degradable, non-degradable, toxic, nontoxic, septage , or grey, and health hazardous(hospital wastes)..The process of segregation on the basis of classified characteristics is first priority for the purpose of reducing, reusing and recycling of the wastes generated from the different sources.
The financial and infrastructural constrains and non-availability of land for the safe disposal of waste and the lack of awareness and apathy at all levels come in the way of efficient, safe management of waste. There is no effective mechanism for the collection, segregation and disposal of wastes generated by households and institutions. Use of technologies and innovative practices could not find significant space in the Municipal Corporation to reduce, reuse and recycle the wastes. Enforcement agency is weak and indifferent. Legal frame work (Act, Rules and Regulations) could not provide substantial support to the enforcement agency. On bench mark evaluation, the Jammu City could not qualify for Smart City (46.5 percent)
Public expectations are high whereas their participation and accountability is minimal. It is not due to their ignorance, but on account of their indifferent attitude or behaviour pattern. People are not attuned to sanitary practices. Waste generated by households and institutions find as easy path to vacant place, canal, corner or roadside. Plastic bags, night food residues, and domestic waste materials, human excreta are thrown into drain and lane. Therefore, deplorable insanitary conditions have become pervasive and apparent. People hesitate to part with small penny in lieu of good sanitation services from the Corporation.
This gives rise to number of questions/queries/hypotheses: Have we any system of segregation of biodegradable and non-degradable wastes at the place of origin of wastes? Do we have any system of disposal of hospital wastes? Have we norms, rules and regulations with legal support to deal with defaulters? Have we policy framework for Nursing homes, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, eating points and marriage halls for the disposal of solid and liquid wastes? Do we have any vendor’s policy specifically with regard to waste management? Do we have any act with regard to prevention, production, sale and use of plastic bags?
PRESENT SCENARIO
Reliable data on generation of solid and liquid wastes, characteristics and classifications and its impacts on health and environment are not available
There is no effective system of Collection and Segregation solid and liquid wastes. A waste generated and dumped on the roadside has been found left unattended or not lifted for weeks together. Out of the total solid waste generated, 50 percent has been found being disposed of unscientifically. Waste transportation capacity has been observed to the extent of 60 percent. Nearly 30 percent solid and liquid wastes have been found dumped into river Tawi, Nallas, or down the hill-side. No effort has been made to reduce the waste at the place of origin.
Toxic water from the industrial units is not being treated.
Our efforts to control use of plastic bags could not bring tangible results. In this regards we have been found far behind Himachal & Uttrakhand
Nearly 20 percent people have no septic tank and human excreta are directly thrown into drains. Open defecation is pervasive in slum areas of city Jammu
Very often the hospital wastes are dumped with the Municipal wastes. Some hospitals are provided with incinerators, but very often these are improperly operated or remain non-operational;
There has been no major effort to build informed community awareness. Stake- holders are not being inspired, informed or involved in the processes of Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM). New technologies and innovative practices could not find significant space to reduce, reuse and recycle the wastes.
Contract system for the collection of Solid Waste could not come to the expectation of the people.
It has given rise to numerous mal-practices.
Enforcement section is weak. Legal support to enforcement wing is minimal.
MAJOR CHALLENGES
Building institutional capacity is a big challenge. Knowledge base (by laws and regulations) of the enforcement wing has to be strengthened.. There are also staff shortages throughout the waste management department at the area level which need to be sorted out.
Financial capacity is probably the biggest constraint on expanding service levels. Lack of financial resources impacts on so many areas including, hiring staff, purchasing and maintaining large scale equipment, managing dumpsites more effectively, increasing levels of household collection, enforcing by laws and regulations, developing new, more modern landfill sites and engaging in targeted public awareness campaigns.
Public attitude is cited throughout the study visits as being a critical issue to tackle. Many areas suffer from indiscriminate dumping of solid and liquid wastes in open spaces, especially along roads, in rivers and in market places.
STRATEGIES
Municipal Corporation Jammu has to develop a viable, integrated and sustainable solid & liquid waste management system;
Data base on i) solid and liquid wastes, ii) its characteristics and classifications, iii) infrastructure, iv) manpower, v) delivery and grievance redressal, vi) financial accounting (double entry system) vi) monitoring and evaluation, and vii) value addition-social, educational and economic have to be built
In order to make long-term, sustainable changes, people at the grassroots level must feel ownership of and commitment to all of the project interventions. An important aspect in order to change norms, attitudes, and behaviours is naturally to raise the public’s level of awareness, inform, and trigger debates about issues such as production and consumption patterns, actor responsibilities, sustainable economic growth, and so forth. It is central that waste is understood and discussed as part of a cyclical process of production, consumption, and recovery.
Transfer of cost effective and appropriate technologies for ecologically safe and sustainable SLWM is sine quo none. “Source Reduction & Reuse”; “Recycling or Composting” ; “Energy Recovery”, and “ Treatment and Disposal “ have been found the major technology and innovative options.
It is high time to think and act on “zero waste” options. Need arises to build institutional capacity to meet the challenge of developing sustainable SLWM. People at the grassroots level are required to be sensitised, informed, and involved to feel ownership of and commitment to all of the project interventions. It is central that waste is understood and discussed as part of a cyclical process of production, consumption, and recovery. Basic infrastructure, new technologies and innovative practices (useful &affordable) need to be explored and introduced. Mechanism of monitoring and evaluation has to be devised to ensure transparency and accountability. Most significant change need to be confirmed on the substantial evidence of co-created values, social- economic – educational.
(The author is a former KAS Officer)
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