Waste Management

In Kolkata’s Dhapa and other neighbouring municipalities, open landfills lie filled to the brim with unsegregated waste. Biomedical waste disposal too does not uniformly conform to the rules formulated. A lax administration merely looks on and introduces token measures in select pockets.

Uttarakhand generates approximately 1406 Tons of solid waste per day and none of this is getting treated. It is high time we address this huge challenge faced by cities and towns of Himalayan Uttarakhand.

While the Government of India has time and again emphasised the importance of cleanliness, Bengaluru has kept up the spirit of swachhata with a number of initiatives. See how an innovative waste collection station, plastic tiles and a compost school are reimagining waste management in the city.

DPRs, or Detailed Project Reports, prepared according to Swachh Bharat Mission guidelines, should form the base for planning and execution of SWM in urban local bodies. Find out what the CAG says about them in its performance audit report.

India is set to have 5000 waste to energy plants in the next five years that will convert agricultural residue, cattle dung and municipal solid waste into usable biogas. But are the conditions conducive and will it solve the waste crisis in our cities?

Roads made out of plastic waste have been touted as a solution to the mounting plastic crisis in the country. What has been the experience of Indian states and cities with this approach so far? And what are the primary challenges?

Driving past the Bhalswa landfill, often described as Delhi’s ‘flaming hell’, a Bengaluru resident is shocked, and urges all citizens to introspect and take immediate action to reduce waste and save our cities.

46 percent of municipal solid waste generated in the capital is left unprocessed. Landfill sites are filled beyond capacity, with the height of Ghazipur dump now just eight metres less than that of the national monument. A parliamentary panel has taken strong exception to the inaction of the environment ministry and the Delhi government.

Thermocol is a threat to the environment and poses serious health hazards for everyone. It is high time we considered more eco-friendly and safer alternatives.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched a Technology Challenge, inviting entries proposing tech solutions for cleaning of sewerage systems and septic tanks. If you can come up with a technology that can end the curse of manual scavenging, apply before August 14th.

At the Siddharoodha Matha in Hubli, the community kitchen cooks for and feeds almost 6000 people everyday. Yet, hardly any waste from it reaches the landfills.

The Maharashtra plastic and thermocol ban kicks in today. What is banned? What can happen if you violate the ban? And most importantly, what are your alternatives? A look at how the average Mumbaikar is preparing for life without plastic.