Solid Waste Management
By Avner Pariat
Indian cities struggle with cleanliness due to a combination of systemic, cultural, and governance-related issues. One of the primary reasons is the lack of adequate waste management infrastructure, which I want to discuss in this article.
From many case studies and articles that I have been able to retrieve, it would appear that the following components constitute an adequate Waste Management Infrastructure (WMI):
1. Waste Collection and Segregation System
2. Waste Transportation System
3. Waste Processing and Recycling Facilities
While we have made some progress with the second component, waste collection and segregation need a lot more intervention. The last component is so far away from our reality it might as well be in another realm altogether!
While door-to-door waste collection is doing fine, we have a desperate need for community bin collection, where large dumpsters are strategically placed in public spaces or residential areas, allowing people to dispose of their waste. For many people who live alone and do not have maids 24/7, this option is ideal. Having these bins made of sturdy material and with lids would keep out the dogs and cats as well. This is something we should bring back because I have seen people dumping garbage into drains precisely because they couldn’t find a receptacle for their waste. This, of course leads to clogged drains, leading to waterlogging, increased disease outbreaks, and unhygienic conditions. To ensure better segregation, the usual colour-coded bins for wet, dry, etc waste can be implemented. There must surely be money in Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) for this, I reckon. It is not just bio-toilets in far-off villages that we need. Some cities have gone for underground community bins, where waste is stored below the surface. In a city like Shillong where space is always a concern, these might be a good option to explore. Anyway, the possibilities are endless if one is actually interested in the job.
As per the 2024-25 budget, Meghalaya allocated Rs 934 crore to the urban sector, with Rs 764 crore earmarked for state schemes. This includes various initiatives, like urban infrastructure development, the Smart City projects in Shillong and Tura, market redevelopment, urban mobility. But waste management, when compared to the other components, does not appear to be of critical importance. The landfill site at Marten was allocated Rs 20 crore for something called “biomining”. Additionally, new integrated waste management sites are being identified for the Shillong urban area (even though there are protests), and a new site has been finalized for Tura. But the actual machinery and recurring costs of dealing with the HUGE task of SWM is not explicitly spelled out in any budget document that I have read so far.
So based on past expenditure (Rs 110.3 crore over 5 years, between 2017-18 and 2021-22), Meghalaya has been allocating about Rs 22 crore per year to SWM across the state. However, this amount covers multiple towns and urban areas, not just one city (Shillong); which is what I am interested in discussing here. Meghalaya’s urban population as per 2021 estimate is 7 lakh. For a 3.5 lakh city like Shillong, this would mean 11 crore per year just for itself. This figure does not segregate the recurring costs versus capital investments. I am unsure how that will be articulated in a budget but aligning with best practices, it seems by many online estimates that Shillong should have a dedicated allocation of Rs 20 crore per year (taking Indore as the model), which would mainly be used for us to procure the expensive machinery and equipment to deal with this menace.
I cannot write this article without mentioning the hardworking ragpickers and scrap gatherers, who work without formal recognition or support from local authorities. While they play a crucial role in solid waste management, their efforts remain fragmented, inefficient, and very unsafe. I want the government to aid them in their efforts by ensuring their safety and dignity. Ragpickers are often exposed to toxic waste, sharp objects, and hazardous chemicals without any protective equipment. The government should provide gloves, masks, uniforms, and tools to reduce health risks. It can also extend existing welfare schemes, such as the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) for health insurance and Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana for pension benefits, to them. We should not treat them like the garbage they are forced to retrieve and go through every day.
I had mentioned that an adequate Waste Management Infrastructure has three components but actually there is a need for a fourth as well namely
4. Cleaning & Sanitation: We cannot just collect, segregate, transport and process garbage as we produce it in the present time we are in. We need to deal with the tremendous legacy waste we have accumulated along our highways, gutters, rivers, hillsides, etc. We cannot wish them away, we need to employ people to clean them. This could push up the budget from 20 crore per year to perhaps 25 crore per year. The extra 5 crore mainly to be used for payments to the army of workers we would need to clean up our mess. These workers can be drawn from the aforementioned ragpickers and scrap gatherers.
Summing it up, in Meghalaya, cleanliness often takes a backseat to other urban priorities like road construction, water supply, and power infrastructure. The lack of coordination between the municipal board, state government, and the numerous private players results in a waste of effort and time, reducing the efficiency of the combined urban sanitation efforts. I think we need to spend money now on building up a complete and efficient system rather than just wasting money on mere awareness campaigns. The Public is well aware that polluting is bad for them. No one wants to live in filth. Let us stop the thrust on easy-to-do workshops, seminars, and other awareness programmes, and let us get down to the hard work of cleaning up our Shillong!