Solid Waste India

Solid Waste

Solid Waste is defined as waste collected by, or on behalf of, municipalities. These solid waste generally originate from households, commerce and trade, small businesses, office buildings and institutions such as schools, hospitals, government buildings, etc. In some cases, solid waste from parks and gardens and street cleaning services are also included.  There has been a substantial increase in generation of solid waste in developing countries, due to a rise in income of individuals leading to higher rates of consumption of electrical goods and increased packaging waste. The growing trend of urbanization of the population where there is a movement away from rural areas to urban areas, also tends to increase the per capita generation of waste since urban population tends to have higher income, higher consumption of goods and consequently, higher generation of waste compared to rural populations.  However, increased urbanization of the population leads to a greater potential recycling since the population density is increased.

It has also been found that, households with younger children have been shown to produce more solid waste than house holds with older people (EOECD 2004). In crease in the population also leads to increase in per capita generation of waste, since increased population would mean an increase in the number of households which, in turn, increase waste generation.   

Religion and Waste Management

I was very excited to hear in the news few days back that the durga puja celebrations this year will turn eco-friendly with clay and chalk idols with vegetable dyes on them so that they dissolve easily. There were also claims of pandals turning to solar and LED lighting. Some went over the top giving such eqipment for free (link)

But how much was actually done towards this is a pretty dismal story. Hordes of materials, flowers, frames, decorations and hundreds of idols were immersed in the Yamuna and Hindon rivers and their remnants lay scattered all around littering the whole area and bringing down the entire mood of the festivities..atleast for me.

I don't buy the practices in our religion where we pray and destroy our sacred things at the same time. Our rivers are sacred to us, then why do I have to see people especially stopping on the sides of bridges upon rivers and throwing their so called 'puja stuff' down the rivers. They don't realise that this very muck will come and haunt them in the coming years in the form of choked drains and rivers. They can take the pains of packing, transporting and stopping especially to throw their waste, but they can't walk down the street and throw the same in the municipal bins.  Maybe by throwing in bins, they won't get the supposed benefits of their 'particular tradition'.

At major places I have seen the authorities put sites to throw the waste near rivers but haven't seen any use of that..maybe the authorities ought to mention an additional message something like-
'For your religious waste ONLY, try this fast-track way to get directly to the Gods-
Undersigned- All religious heads'

National Green Tribunal Launched

National Green Tribunal Launched:

India on Tuesday launched the National Green Tribunal, becoming the third nation in the world to have special courts for environmental issues. Former Supreme Court Judge Lokeshwar Singh Panta assumed charges as chairperson of the tribunal, which will have to begin with four regional benches that will function in the circuit mode.

With the tribunal coming into being, the national environmental appellate authority now ceases to exist and all the cases before it have transferred to the new body. The Tribunal was established by the National Green Tribunal Act passed by the parliament earlier this year.