Waste processing units struggle to get local support
ON SHAKY GROUND As ‘dhalaos’ become segregation units, residents not cooperating in pilot scheme by sorting garbage
NEWDELHI: Walking down the road that divides Dwarka Sector 11 and 12, the two garbage dumping sites could be spotted, popularly known as ‘dhaloas’, wearing an unusual look. There are four to five concrete blocks constructed in and around these neighbourhood dumps unlike the usual structures. This is a mini waste processing unit.
In March, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) had started the process of converting conventional community dumping sites into segregation and waste processing units with an aim to send zero waste to the city’s dying landfills.
Delhi generates an estimated 10,000 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste every day. With little investment and planning going into segregation, recycle and re-use projects, most of the waste lands directly on the landfill sites. Having already exhausted their capacity, Delhi’s landfills have turned into civic, health and environmental hazards.
The Municipal Solid Waste bylaws makes it mandatory for the municipal agencies to process the wet waste collected from homes at local dumping sites. On a pilot basis, the SDMC introduced the concept at dumping sites in Dwarka’s Sector 11, 12 and 16 and Sector 9 RK Puram.
Items such as paper, plastics, metal, glass, rubber, thermocol, fabric, leather and wood are cate- gorised as dry waste, while vegetable waste, fruit peels, tea leaves, eggshells and cooked food constitute wet waste.
CURRENT STATUS
Due to space constraints, the sanitation staff has divided these dhalaos into different segments. One corner is dedicated to store garbage, other is used for segregation, the third for keeping nonbiodegradable items and the fourth for turning the garbage into compost. Rajiv Jain, SDMC superintending engineer and nodal officer for the project, said, “As soon as the garbage comes to the dumping sites, rag-pickers engaged by sanitation department recently, start separating the wet and dry waste.”
“It turns into compost after one month while plastic and other recyclable items are taken by the waste pickers,” he added.
Currently, SDMC is segregating and processing over 2 tonnes of garbage collected from 48 colonies in Dwarka and 500 kilograms from Sector 9, RK Puram, every day. “Though the municipal solid waste rules make segregation at source mandatory, very few people adhere to the norms,” said SDMC official.
NEED FOR PENALTY
People do not understand that segregating waste is much easier at source than after reaching a local dump yard, said a senior SDMC official.
Surinder Drall, president of Rosewood Apartment, Sector 13, admitted that residents do not cooperate. “SDMC even tried converting dhalao near Sector 6 market into processing unit but due to shopkeepers’ objection nothing happened. We are now planning to place posters with the help of SDMC in markets and residential area encouraging people to join the cause,” he said
Even other local bodies in city who had tried encouraging residents to segregate waste in different localities failed to bring change. “Unless we penalise people, the situation will not improve,” said a senior official of East Corporation.
The SDMC is planning to impose penalties.
Under the bylaws, residents who do not consign wet and dry waste to separate bins will be fined ₹200, and commercial establishments will be fined ₹10,000. People who dispose sanitary napkins in regular dustbins will also be fined ₹200, and street vendors who do not have waste containers for the trash they generate, will be fined too.
Shashi Bhushan Pandit, president of All India Kabadi Mazdoor Mahasangh, said the municipalities also need to create enough infrastructure such as developing composting unit in each society, carrying out awareness campaigns and encouraging people.
“The initiatives taken up so far are just eye wash. The civic agencies are simply trying to pass the buck on residents and failing to deliver the responsibilities mentioned in by-laws. ” he said.