Challenge of managing solid waste in our cities requires community engagement | The Indian Express

Challenge of managing solid waste in our cities requires community engagement | The Indian Express

Written by Isher Judge Ahluwalia, Almitra Patel |Updated: April 3, 2019 8:29:54 am

The writer is chairperson of Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) and former chairperson of the high-powered expert committee on urban infrastructure and services.

Patel is member, Supreme Court committee on solid waste management

Challenge of managing solid waste in our cities requires community engagement

Vellore, with a population of five lakh, has been a trailblazer in decentralised management of solid waste and sending no waste to landfills. It has earned the remarkable distinction of getting its residents to separate wet waste from dry waste.

Vellore generates 160 tonnes of solid waste per day, excluding waste from bulk generators. (Illustration: CR Sasikumar)

We wrote in our last column, ‘Small town, cleaner future’ (IE, February 27) about how small towns in India are showing the way in keeping wet waste separate from dry waste. This is the most critical first step for sound solid waste management. We also looked to see if some bigger towns are getting their act together in managing their solid waste. Admittedly, it is more difficult to organise community action in large towns. But wards are a good place to start, and we are happy to report some encouraging news from Tamil Nadu.