Let’s talk R U B B I S H!!!
Bangalore Burning….
Vidio Link : https://youtu.be/qniQAdS_SOQ
Solid Waste Management has always been a matter of
concern because anywhere in the world it operates on a “reverse flow” system.
Unlike power / water supply, the service generates outwards. No
one wants to keep garbage at home for a long period of time.
Years ago, the Bangalore City Municipal Corporation (now BBMP) did come up with the idea of bringing in a rule for garbage disposal. According
to the rule book, garbage could be piled on a Civic Amenities (CA) site in a locality
before it was collected for disposal by dumpsters. But, this turned out to be
impractical because no one but the rare civic-conscious person would trudge all
the way to the CA site to dispose rubbish! Then, cement-ring dustbins were
installed at street corners. It was decided -- after much deliberation -- to
install these bins on the left corner of every street. But overnight, people
would move the rings elsewhere because they couldn’t stomach the stench or the
mess near their houses! The cat-and-mouse game between residents got to a point
where court cases were filed by neighbors against each other! Those who swept
the streets piled garbage into the cement-ring bins, contractors dumped debris
into them; butchers discarded poultry waste; and some nursing homes
clandestinely dumped their bio-medical waste in them! So, cement-ring bins were
phased out in 2004-05.
Cement ring garbage bins kept at street
corners
But before that, Karnataka State Council for Science
and Technology (KSCST) - through the Indo-Norwegian Environment Programme
(INEP) -- partnering with Environment Support Group (ESG) -- began a small experiment in solid
waste management in Basavangudi area in Bangalore. They also wanted to change
the image of pourakarmikas, who were treated rather shabbily and had no proper
equipment. The other objective of the experiment was to phase out the ring bins
so that secondary dumping of garbage is avoided. Those handling garbage were
given uniforms. Their health was monitored. They were given gloves, masks,
biodegradable brooms with long handles, and shoes. They were also provided with
the wheelbarrows to collect garbage. Residents were given three bins: one for
“green” waste which is degradable, one for “non-degradable” waste like plastic,
metal and glass which can be recycled, and one for “hazardous” waste like
unused medicines, blades, razors, needles, batteries etc.
 |
Colored bins for
segregation of waste
Push
carts for garbage collection
|
Similarly, there were three bins in the
wheelbarrows. Door-to-door garbage collection would be done by 11 am every day.
Trucks would wait near the CA site in the locality and take the garbage to
treatment plants - green waste to vermi-compost heaps near Parappana Agrahara;
recyclable waste to identified vendors; and hazardous waste to
specially-designed landfills which had impermeable plastic lining to prevent
pollution of ground water. But, KSCST and ESG could monitor the movement only
till the garbage reached the truck.
Then,
shockingly, the systematically segregated garbage would be mixed and dumped in
the landfills! While cement-ring bins have been phased out and there is door to
door collection of garbage in most part of the city, segregation and treatment
remain on paper and dumping continues unabated.
Stories of Mavallipura, Mandur
……… took over the front page of the media attention.
Today Bangalore
Burning……
most street corners have piles of leaf litter along with plastics set
on fire mostly by “BBMP” sweepers / contractors to choke the city. Most of us
haplessly turn the other side……??????
Be the change you want:
- Don’t litter and don’t throw garbage on the
road or in front of someone else’s house. Put it into your dustbin at
home.
- Don’t hang plastic covers with garbage outside
your door / gate the previous night. That’s criminal and lazy! It can
attract rodents and dogs.
- Don’t entrust garbage disposal to your maid.
She will invariably chuck it into the nearest ditch, gutter, vacant site
or park.
- Use covered bins and keep them outside for the
garbage collector if you leave early to work or are a late riser.
- Follow segregation to the extent possible.
Don’t dump batteries and medicines with vegetable peels and paper. Collect
them over a period of time and take them to collection centers of the
Pollution Collection Board in certain Food World outlets….. in your city.
- Treat solid waste collectors with dignity.
Remember, they are cleaning up after you!
