An update on our SWM efforts

The past 4 days (from Saturday onward) have seen a disruption in the services of HasiruDala, owing to another protest at Karnataka Composting Development Corporation, KCDC (our destination for wet waste). The city is in strife, with the order to close the Mandur landfill site, and internal challenges at KCDC. The KCDC muddle has resulted in the waste smelling in the wee hours of morning and night, and is causing hassles for the peripheral residents. However, the only possible way out is in improving the systems at KCDC, and this is being pushed for in every possible manner.

In the meanwhile, Hasiru Dala has tried hard to handle the wet waste through alternate responsible destinations. Despite all their efforts, not all of the waste could be accommodated for composting / biogas in partner organizations at Koramangala and Yelahanka respectively, and a small quantity had to be sent to the landfill site. We urge all resident apartments and layouts to seriously consider in-house composting / biogas solutions as well, for which Hasiru Dala can give the support. In-house community based solutions are sustainable in the truest sense!

Hasiru Dala is now expected to start collection of waste including unbroken tubelights/bulbs on Friday, 30th May. Please note that all the tubelights/bulbs should be kept counted and packed in carton sheets/original packing material.

There is a new campaign to highlight the best segregating apartments among all the apartments serviced to promote the Reduce/Reuse/Recycle concept. The apartment complex with the lowest reject/sanitary/inert waste / household / day, while maintaining healthy levels of segregation of dry and wet waste will get a special rate of Rs. 2.5/kg instead of Rs. 3/kg. The winner for this month(based on April data) is DSR Rainbow Heights, HSR Layout which was able to reduce its reject waste footprint to 63gms/household/day! Kudos to the militant-like volunteers of the group (who number in dozens) in the 230 unit complex for making this happen!

Here is the average waste generated / day / household (in gms) for all the months so far, from apartments working in comprehensive solid waste management from HSR and Bellandur area



Aggregate Waste Weights, Ward 150 – upto Apr 2014

 

– Article Courtesy: Akshay Yadav

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Similar Story

The right to leisure: Do Chennai parks provide respite from soaring temperatures?

Locked gates at noon and ₹75 entry fees limit access to Chennai's parks for the people who need them most during extreme heat.

For homemaker Rani, alternate evenings are dedicated to a few rounds at the 2,456 sq m Sharma Park in Chennai's T Nagar, playfully chasing her two granddaughters across the sanded area. But there are a few things she is worried about. “It’s hot throughout the year at the park. It has unwatered, withering plants, and this area is often prone to rowdyism,” Rani says, pointing to strewn water bottles and food packets behind some benches. However, as she spends all day sweating in her kitchen, these few hours in the open air are immensely valuable. ​In an earlier article, we…

Similar Story

Chennai has 835 parks, but overall green spaces have shrunk

Chennai's green spaces are shrinking with North Chennai having unequal access. Experts call for native planting, rainwater sponges and citizen action.

A flower-seller weaving mozhams of jasmine, men reading newspapers, and cackling children playing games — these are common sights across city parks. As Chennai saw temperatures cross 40°C this May, seekers of shade, couples stealing time together, and informal workers turned to parks for solace.​ Parks and open spaces are crucial for residents in congested areas, many of whom live without air conditioning. But open spaces in Chennai are shrinking. The Urban Regional Development Plans Formulation and Implementation (URDPFI) guidelines mandate 10 to 12 sq. m of open space per person, yet the Chennai Metropolitan Area has roughly just 0.65…