What is solid waste?
From ancient time, waste has remained an
inseparable part of the human society. The rapid population growth, growing
urbanization and proliferation of slums are all contributing to the generation
of an ever increasing volume of garbage. The increasing pile of garbage has
created health hazard and environmental problem.
Types of solid waste:
Solid waste can be classified into
different types depending on their source:
Household waste is generally classified as
municipal waste,
Industrial waste as hazardous waste, and
Biomedical waste or hospital waste as
infectious waste.
Problem of Solid Waste
Pressure of population on cites of Assam
has become an area of concern not only for local civic authorities and State
Government, but for Central Government as well. Accumulation of waste and its
disposal is a major worry for authorities in Assam. The only way to tackle this
situation is through a concerted and dedicated effort involving government
departments, environment protection bodies, NGOs, and local residents.
Let us take the example of Guwahati, the
capital city of Assam. City of Guwahati with more than 820,000 inhabitants
generates more than 300 metric tonnes of MSW (municipal solid waste) per year.
GMC (Guwahati Municipal Corporation) in an effort to collect, transport, and
dispose this MSW from Guwahati city and its periphery is in the process of
appointing a suitable developer or operator for establishing an environmentally
sustainable and viable waste management system.
With a view to improve solid waste
management, GMC has got an approval for a grant amount of approximately Rs
3,517 lakhs under JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission)
scheme. This is a National scheme promoted by Ministry of Urban Development,
Government of India. For effectuating this project, IDCAL (Infrastructure
Development Corporation of Assam Limited) has been appointed project management
consultant by GMC. IDCAL incidentally is a joint venture between GMDA (Guwahati
Metropolitan Development Authority) and IL&FS, a leading company engaged in
infrastructure development in India.
Existing solid waste management in Guwahati
is not large unorganized. Indiscriminate dumping of wastes, clogging of
sewerages, and silting of Bharalu River are major worries of GMC. Bharalu
operates as the biggest sewage canal of this city and carries waste to River
Brahmaputra. Silting of this river leads to major drainage problem for the
entire city particularly during the rainy season. Low lying areas, near
Bhangagarh and Rajgarh get flooded after heavy showers.
Guwahati Municipality is making every
effort to improve waste management system of this city. Appointment of IDCAL by
GMC is a positive step towards more efficient MSW management for the city of
Guwahati. The process involved in Municipal solid waste management: MSW
management involves collection, transportation, storage, processing and
disposal of solid wastes for Guwahati city. An estimated 350 tonnes of solid
waste would be processed per day as per this project. Waste collection includes
street sweeping, cleaning of sewerages, and door-to-door collection of solid
wastes. This waste is accumulated in secondary collection units and
subsequently transported to project sites.
Measures to control Solid Waste
Home is the nearest place from where solid
waste management can be initiated. Garden is the perfect place for waste
management. Using of compost, choosing the correct mower for lawn are positive
steps towards better management of household wasters.
Hazardous waste, however, is to be treated
with caution. They should be disposed in specially marked containers and kept
aside away from the reach of kids and pets. They should only be disposed by
hazardous material removal agencies.
Office is another place where one can employ
waste management techniques. Recycling of office paper, beverage containers,
and newspapers are such processes.
For conservation of resources, it is always
advisable to use two sided printed materials, recycled printer cartridges, and
recycled products. While buying electronic items, it is desirable to enter into
a leasing plan where terms of recycling and reuse are mentioned categorically.
Unused food items and leftovers are ideally donated to food banks or the
homeless.
1. Setting up a community program is an encouraging step
towards creating a more concerned and knowledgeable neighborhood. Such action
groups are actually very helpful is making a community aware of the benefits of
proper MSW management techniques.
2. All family should arrange two dustbins labeled as
degradable and non-degradable. The degradable wastes can be assimilated at home
by putting them under soil. It also will provide organic fertilizer in future.
The non- degradable wastes should be allowed the authority to send for recycling.
3. Householders should refrain from throwing garbage as per
their convenience. There should be a specific time for throwing garbage out. If
possible, local civic authorities should ensure collection of garbage from
every house at this specified time.
Conclusion
Of all these waste management techniques,
if only a small part could be implemented in the cities of Assam, the Assam
would become a much better place to stay. The greatest advantage of Assam is
its marvelous landscape consisting of River Brahmaputra and several hills. A
focussed effort towards solid waste management and protection of environment
from all sections of the local populace could make Assam greener and fresher
state. Keeping roads garbage free is a positive step towards making this city
tidier and healthier.
