Sad to see but we try and take every opportunity to use every empty plot of space as a dumping solution. Seen in the picture, garbage piles up in the heart of Dimapur town at Nagarjan junction. (Lhiche Mero/Yi/Morung Express)
THE YEAR 1994 saw Surat go down in the annals of history as the city which witnessed the worst case of epidemic plague. One of the primary reasons for the epidemic was the accumulated filth and garbage which acted as a breeding ground for rodents. Surat has since revamped the entire garbage disposal system and is now acknowledged as one of the cleanest cities in India. The garbage problem is a universal problem. In fact it is estimated that each household generates almost 1/2 to 1 kg. of garbage per day. With increasing population the amount of waste generated has also increased so much so that it cannot be easily disposed of by conventional methods alone.
Each year, during Environmental day, we shout and scream about environmental pollution, but like everything else it dies in a whisper. For a change this year the Young Indian (Nagaland Chapter) along with the Morung Express highlighted the environmental issue through a photo campaign. Not surprisingly, most of the photos send in by the concerned participants centered on the ‘garbage’ problem. Nagaland can also emulate the best practices available to tackle this very basic human problem of garbage.
The Morung Express in an attempt to find out more spoke to a number of people related to the issue. While sanitation and waste is taken care of by Municipal councils, there is only so much that a ‘body’ can do. The public-the first responders, play a major role in actually contributing to a safe and clean environment.
The Administrator of the Kohima Municipal Council, Alun Hansing, (ADC Kohima) speaking to the Morung Express said that according to a survey taken a few years back by the ‘Pollution Control Board’, Kohima alone produces 45-50 metric tones of waste in a day. Obviously the number would be higher now with increasing population. And to cope with this problem KMC currently has only 8 tipper trucks and they have about 40 odd laborers!
This has to be read with the knowledge that Kohima has 19 wards (about 40 colonies) and altogether 90 plus dustbins. Now each truck operates with 3 laborers and though work starts in the wee hours, by the time the second round begins there is already traffic congestion. Hence some colonies do not get their garbage picked up in time.
The ADC also stated that nobody wants their town to look shabby hence it is also everybody’s duty to keep it clean. Saying that the KMC also is working under great constraint the ADC appealed to the public to dispose off whatever waste whenever possible or dig a compost pit. Adding that everybody is a stakeholder in this matter, the Administrator of KMC said, “We are not charging anything from the public. We try to give the best of what is at our disposal and all people do is criticize!”
Fortunately for Kohima, a Chief Minister level meeting was held with the elected members (of Kohima). The outcome was a decision to impose some sort of sanitation tax on each kitchen. To ease the burden of the KMC all five elected representatives from Kohima will provide 5 Mahindra pick up each while the CM will contribute another 3. The Urban Development Department will also pool in to give another 2 pick up. Logistics are being worked on and colony Panchayats will be involved.
This piece of news will be a breather for the Kohima Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) which has been at loggerheads with the KMC over the sanitation tax. A member of the KCCI said, “The KMC charges sanitation tax to the business community without taking into account the fact that Kohima town is littered by one and all, the KCCI cannot be singled out for sanitation tax”.
It may also be noted that the KCCI also had a ‘Year of Sanitation’ two years back which though not very successful, managed to create some awareness and also brought the compulsory ‘one dustbin, one shop’ idea into practice. The KMC in its effort to beautify the capital also got various banks to construct better urinals. The next project is to build ‘pay and use toilets’.
Coming to the commercial hub of Dimapur, it alone produces 90 metric tones of garbage in a day. Even with 100 plus labourers, the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) still suffers because of poor machinery. According to Er Vikholie Nienu, who is attached to the sanitation wing, the DMC works with only 8 tractors. The machinery is not only outdated but maintenance is also expensive, according to him. To tackle the problem of sewage in Dimapur, a Special Task Force has been set up. Nienu informed that progress is slow but steady. They are now working in ward 4 Walford. Adding that this work alone will take a month, Neinu stated that there is only so much that the DMC can do and appealed for some cooperation and civic sense from the public.
On topic of garbage in Dimapur, Er. Neinu shed light on what he termed as “of utmost concern now”, which is ‘Bio Medical waste’. This kind of waste is dangerous as it can spread diseases. Speaking on this topic Mr. Rusovil John, Member Secretary, Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB), said that out of the total hospital waste about 15%-20% is hazardous. He also added that DMC and NPCB were trying to bring a ‘Common Bio Medical Waste Management Facility’. Currently all this waste is going into the common DMC dustbin which is indeed very worrying.
Kohima on the other hand at least has a proper disposal for bio medical waste. A special vehicle run by KMC under the supervision of the NPCB collects bio medical waste from each medical facility and then disposes off it in a system called ‘Deep Burial System’ which is the only viable option available currently. Categorically stating that the NPCB is not an executing authority, Rusovil John, said that it is the duty of the municipals to ensure the cleanliness of a town. To this effect he added that Dimapur always looks very clean in the morning but by evening the whole town in littered. This only proves that though the DMC is trying to do its job but the public is not!
As far as waste management in Dimapur is concerned, a local private company called ‘Tricom Electric Company’ is bringing in a technology called ‘Biomass’ in other words a form of power generation through municipal waste. This technology is practiced in China and has also been adopted by a lot of cities in India. The concept behind this technology is the treatment of every combustible waste (excluding glass and iron) to produce granules which in turn will help to boil water and thereby produce steam. This steam will rotate turbines which in turn will run the generator, producing electricity in the process.
According to an Engineer from the company, if properly implemented the waste of Dimapur will produce at least 3megawatts. Taking into account the fact that Dimapur consumes about 47 megawatts during peak hour, this technology will ease the burden of the electricity department. The best thing about this biomass is that it does not produce CO2 or any other harmful gases. According to a reliable source, the proposal was put up to the New and Renewable Energy Department but it is yet to be taken up.
Each year, during Environmental day, we shout and scream about environmental pollution, but like everything else it dies in a whisper. For a change this year the Young Indian (Nagaland Chapter) along with the Morung Express highlighted the environmental issue through a photo campaign. Not surprisingly, most of the photos send in by the concerned participants centered on the ‘garbage’ problem. Nagaland can also emulate the best practices available to tackle this very basic human problem of garbage.
The Morung Express in an attempt to find out more spoke to a number of people related to the issue. While sanitation and waste is taken care of by Municipal councils, there is only so much that a ‘body’ can do. The public-the first responders, play a major role in actually contributing to a safe and clean environment.
The Administrator of the Kohima Municipal Council, Alun Hansing, (ADC Kohima) speaking to the Morung Express said that according to a survey taken a few years back by the ‘Pollution Control Board’, Kohima alone produces 45-50 metric tones of waste in a day. Obviously the number would be higher now with increasing population. And to cope with this problem KMC currently has only 8 tipper trucks and they have about 40 odd laborers!
This has to be read with the knowledge that Kohima has 19 wards (about 40 colonies) and altogether 90 plus dustbins. Now each truck operates with 3 laborers and though work starts in the wee hours, by the time the second round begins there is already traffic congestion. Hence some colonies do not get their garbage picked up in time.
The ADC also stated that nobody wants their town to look shabby hence it is also everybody’s duty to keep it clean. Saying that the KMC also is working under great constraint the ADC appealed to the public to dispose off whatever waste whenever possible or dig a compost pit. Adding that everybody is a stakeholder in this matter, the Administrator of KMC said, “We are not charging anything from the public. We try to give the best of what is at our disposal and all people do is criticize!”
Fortunately for Kohima, a Chief Minister level meeting was held with the elected members (of Kohima). The outcome was a decision to impose some sort of sanitation tax on each kitchen. To ease the burden of the KMC all five elected representatives from Kohima will provide 5 Mahindra pick up each while the CM will contribute another 3. The Urban Development Department will also pool in to give another 2 pick up. Logistics are being worked on and colony Panchayats will be involved.
This piece of news will be a breather for the Kohima Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) which has been at loggerheads with the KMC over the sanitation tax. A member of the KCCI said, “The KMC charges sanitation tax to the business community without taking into account the fact that Kohima town is littered by one and all, the KCCI cannot be singled out for sanitation tax”.
It may also be noted that the KCCI also had a ‘Year of Sanitation’ two years back which though not very successful, managed to create some awareness and also brought the compulsory ‘one dustbin, one shop’ idea into practice. The KMC in its effort to beautify the capital also got various banks to construct better urinals. The next project is to build ‘pay and use toilets’.
Coming to the commercial hub of Dimapur, it alone produces 90 metric tones of garbage in a day. Even with 100 plus labourers, the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) still suffers because of poor machinery. According to Er Vikholie Nienu, who is attached to the sanitation wing, the DMC works with only 8 tractors. The machinery is not only outdated but maintenance is also expensive, according to him. To tackle the problem of sewage in Dimapur, a Special Task Force has been set up. Nienu informed that progress is slow but steady. They are now working in ward 4 Walford. Adding that this work alone will take a month, Neinu stated that there is only so much that the DMC can do and appealed for some cooperation and civic sense from the public.
On topic of garbage in Dimapur, Er. Neinu shed light on what he termed as “of utmost concern now”, which is ‘Bio Medical waste’. This kind of waste is dangerous as it can spread diseases. Speaking on this topic Mr. Rusovil John, Member Secretary, Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB), said that out of the total hospital waste about 15%-20% is hazardous. He also added that DMC and NPCB were trying to bring a ‘Common Bio Medical Waste Management Facility’. Currently all this waste is going into the common DMC dustbin which is indeed very worrying.
Kohima on the other hand at least has a proper disposal for bio medical waste. A special vehicle run by KMC under the supervision of the NPCB collects bio medical waste from each medical facility and then disposes off it in a system called ‘Deep Burial System’ which is the only viable option available currently. Categorically stating that the NPCB is not an executing authority, Rusovil John, said that it is the duty of the municipals to ensure the cleanliness of a town. To this effect he added that Dimapur always looks very clean in the morning but by evening the whole town in littered. This only proves that though the DMC is trying to do its job but the public is not!
As far as waste management in Dimapur is concerned, a local private company called ‘Tricom Electric Company’ is bringing in a technology called ‘Biomass’ in other words a form of power generation through municipal waste. This technology is practiced in China and has also been adopted by a lot of cities in India. The concept behind this technology is the treatment of every combustible waste (excluding glass and iron) to produce granules which in turn will help to boil water and thereby produce steam. This steam will rotate turbines which in turn will run the generator, producing electricity in the process.
According to an Engineer from the company, if properly implemented the waste of Dimapur will produce at least 3megawatts. Taking into account the fact that Dimapur consumes about 47 megawatts during peak hour, this technology will ease the burden of the electricity department. The best thing about this biomass is that it does not produce CO2 or any other harmful gases. According to a reliable source, the proposal was put up to the New and Renewable Energy Department but it is yet to be taken up.
What our local bodies like Municipal Council/Town Committees can do:
(i) Prohibit littering on the street.
(ii) Organise house to house waste collection and notify the public about the schedule and the methodology of collection.
(iii) Conduct awareness programmes to disseminate information to the public an d hold regular meetings with the resident welfare groups and NGOs.
(iv) Devise ways to collect waste from unsanitary and difficult areas such as slums, hotels, restaurants, office complexes and commercial areas.
(v) Build adequate storage facilities taking into account the population density so as to prevent overflowing of trash cans.
(vi) Colour-code waste bins so as to promote segregation of waste at source — green for biodegradable, white for recyclable wastes and black for other wastes.
(vii) The wastes are to be transported only in closed vans to avoid spilling of wastes.
(viii) Dispose of the collected wastes by adopting any of the prescribed methods such as vermin-composting, anaerobic digestion, incineration, pelletisation, etc. Landfill is to be adopted for inert waste.
What citizens can do:
1. Avoid littering and ensure the delivery of wastes in accordance with the delivery system notified by the respective local body.
2. Segregation of waste at source.
(Source: With inputs from Hindu)
(ii) Organise house to house waste collection and notify the public about the schedule and the methodology of collection.
(iii) Conduct awareness programmes to disseminate information to the public an d hold regular meetings with the resident welfare groups and NGOs.
(iv) Devise ways to collect waste from unsanitary and difficult areas such as slums, hotels, restaurants, office complexes and commercial areas.
(v) Build adequate storage facilities taking into account the population density so as to prevent overflowing of trash cans.
(vi) Colour-code waste bins so as to promote segregation of waste at source — green for biodegradable, white for recyclable wastes and black for other wastes.
(vii) The wastes are to be transported only in closed vans to avoid spilling of wastes.
(viii) Dispose of the collected wastes by adopting any of the prescribed methods such as vermin-composting, anaerobic digestion, incineration, pelletisation, etc. Landfill is to be adopted for inert waste.
What citizens can do:
1. Avoid littering and ensure the delivery of wastes in accordance with the delivery system notified by the respective local body.
2. Segregation of waste at source.
(Source: With inputs from Hindu)
Do you have a problem with your GARBAGE?
1. ‘Garbage stinks’ because it consists of rotting organic matter.
2. `Garbage is ugly’ because we do not throw it properly in bins.
3. `Garbage remains uncleared’ because there is too much of it which even municipal corporations can’t get rid of.
4. `Garbage gets strewn’ because it contains useful material which people, animals and birds want, and while looking for it, they scatter it.
5. ’Garbage pollutes because when burnt in the open, toxic fumes and smoke are given off that cause respiratory disorders.
6. `Garbage becomes a health hazard’ when it is left to rot on streets and roads. ‘T’his breeds insects, rodents and bacteria that cause and spread disease.
2. `Garbage is ugly’ because we do not throw it properly in bins.
3. `Garbage remains uncleared’ because there is too much of it which even municipal corporations can’t get rid of.
4. `Garbage gets strewn’ because it contains useful material which people, animals and birds want, and while looking for it, they scatter it.
5. ’Garbage pollutes because when burnt in the open, toxic fumes and smoke are given off that cause respiratory disorders.
6. `Garbage becomes a health hazard’ when it is left to rot on streets and roads. ‘T’his breeds insects, rodents and bacteria that cause and spread disease.
