Solid Waste Management

Conventional Waste Management practices in ULB

Solid waste management services provision in the urban local bodies focuses on the collection and transport of wastes. The solid wastes are disposed of by the waste generators either on the road and other informal locations or the garbage bins provided by the ULB. The waste being disposed of is un-segregated consisting of organics, dry substances like plastic, leather etc and hazardous substances including hospitals wastes, tubelights etc. The waste from the road is swept by the Pourakarmikas and collected at a bin or other intermediate points. The bins are mostly RCC bins of capacities of 540 liters or 1100 liters. From this locations the waste are collected by the transport vehicles and transferred to the disposal point. The transport vehicles are tractor-trailers, small trucks or large trucks. The waste is manually lifted from the intermediate points in baskets and transferred to the vehicles. At the disposal point open dumping of waste is practiced. The waste is also generally burnt to reduce the volume and extend the life of the disposal site. 
Given the dismal situation of Solid Waste Management practices in the country & having no solution in sight, a public interest litigation was filed in Hon'ble Supreme Court of India by Mrs. Almitra Patel v/s Union of India & others seeking directions from the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India to the Urban Local Bodies as well as the Government of India & the State Governments in the country, for improving Solid Waste Management Practices expeditiously. Based on which formed high level empowered committee which submitted detailed report to GOI prescribing the actions to be taken by the ULBs & support that may be extended by the GOI & State Government for improving solid waste management practices. Based on the report GOI through MOEF formulated Municipal Solid Waste (Management & Handling waste)

The major activities taken up under implementation of ISWM

•  Procurement of land for landfill site.
• Development of landfill site, i.e. formation of internal and external approach roads, Fencing/compound wall construction, drilling of bore well, construction of watchman shed, plantation of trees, development of waste processing and disposal facilities
• Procurement of tools, equipment & vehicles as per the approved Action plans which are required for ISWM implementation.
• Carrying out IEC activities through selected NGOs, to create awareness among the general public about SWM.
• Development of centralized/decentralized composting units with the help of SHGs/ RWAs/ NGOs/ ULB staff

Objective of the SWM programme

The objective is to ensure Clean & Safe Environment through systematic collection, transportation & disposal of waste in ULBs

Important steps of SWM programme

• Segregation & Storage of waste at source
• Door to Door collection
• Street Sweeping
• Secondary Collection
• Secondary Transportation
• Scientific Treatment
• Safe disposal of waste