Only timely collection, disposal can ease crisis

Experts say that an average resident in the city produces seven and half pounds of garbage every day, which is buried in landfills, and litters land. Besides, increasing population, changing consumption patterns, economic development, improving household incomes, growing urbanisation and industrialisation, have increased waste-generation in the city. Millions of rupees are spent each year for picking up litter. Still, heaps of garbage can be seen everywhere in the city. Waste collection and disposal system in the city is inefficient and not environmental-friendly. Due to low urban waste collection ratio, many households and enterprises resort to uncontrolled and unhygienic disposal. Administration is weak and officials have no powers as there is no policy for proper waste disposal. The city is gradually turning into garbage dump. The administration must understand that landfills are considered sources of illnesses and unpleasant odour. The garbage in streets isn’t just unsightly. It’s also a threat to the public health, a habitat for rodents and mosquitoes that can spread malaria, dengue, Japanese encephalitis and many other diseases. It’s a bomb waiting to explode. Chemicals from harmful wastes, including paint, petrol, batteries, and other materials, in a dump spread toxins through the ground, which also contaminates potable water. There is no magical stick or trick to address the issue. Everyone in the city has to take responsibility to sort out the garbage and dispose it in a proper manner. People have to change their habits. From administration’s point of view a new paradigm in waste traceability through household codification, mapping and mobile-sensitisation, is needed in make waste collection and disposal efficient. Moreover, a mobile technology-enhanced waste-management system that addresses structural inefficiencies in the urban waste management could be an ideal solution.

Ravi Chander Garg, Ludhiana

Has to be tackled scientifically

Garbage is a big problem, but our planners have an ostrich attitude. There has to be strict, scientific method for its disposal. We can’t collect vegetable waste, clothes, plastic and other stuff in one bulk and then bury it somewhere. It means postponing the problem. The public must be asked to use different collection baskets so that biodegradable and non-degradable garbage can be segregated at the point of generation. Open storage of garbage is an ideal recipe for disaster. Covered sheds should be constructed at specific points and precision collection should be the watch word.

Major (retd) Gurdeep Samra, 

Reduce, re-use and re-cycle

For being effective at a larger scale, first one should become responsible and accountable individually to make a difference to a chaotic situation of dumping garbage. The amount of waste produced in each house should be restricted to a certain level. Anyone dumping extra waste should be heavily charged on each bin. The size of garbage bins should be specifically set and authorised by the government. People should be made aware of articles, which can be reused and recycled, to reduce the quantity of waste generated on a daily basis.  The concept of dry and wet bins should be popularised. It will help in easier collection of garbage and keep houses clean. Littering of garbage should be controlled with heavy fines and by sending defaulters to correctional institutions. Special trainings and courses can help the people learn rules and regulations of keeping the country clean and green.

Ikjot Kaur Mann, Ludhiana

Make compost from segregated waste

The household garbage is generally collected by a labour employed by residents at their own expenses. He/she collects garbage from door-to-door and disposes it in the corporation dump. Garbage has to be segregated into green compostable matter, which includes vegetable and fruit waste, besides plastic and other recyclable material, including paper, glass, plastic bottles and packing, in houses. The corporation must designate separate small dumps for both in vicinity of the residential areas. The green matter, which is more than 50% of the garbage by weight, can be turned into manure by making wind rows using simple turning and watering machine. It takes two months to compost the organic waste and sell it to farmers and city residents at a nominal cost. Making of compost will decrease the requirement of dumping space, a serious problem. Big mechanical compost plants are unnecessary and useless. The second part is mostly recyclable. The poor can scavenge saleable material and rest can be pressed and deposited in the corporation dump or incarcerated. The people involved in garbage handling can be paid handsomely so as to make them feel honoured and encourage to work seriously. 

Dr Bikkar Singh Sidhu, Ludhiana

Public assistance can help find a solution

It is said that sound body keeps a sound mind. Similarly, clean environment and clean surroundings gives birth to clean societies. Man is the most wise and intelligent amongst various living creatures on this planet. But, he is not paying attention to keep its surroundings neat and clean. Then who indulges in littering? They are lazy, immature, coward or ignorant people. One can clean homes, litter garbage near his/her surroundings and create negative impact on society. One has to follow a few important suggestions to make his/her contribution for making Ludhiana a better, clean and green place, besides an example of a model city for our nation. Green eco-service societies in each area of the city can keep a vigil on those who don’t dispose of garbage properly. No one should litter. School and college going students and the public in general should pick up a piece of litter every day. Ever week societies with the help of residents should clear litter in their respective areas. Seminars in schools and colleges can spread awareness on benefits of the clean area. Municipal Corporation should provide three marked, covered dustbins (big ones) to each household and direct residents to segregate waste into recyclable and non-recyclable material. A truck should collect one dustbin alternatively from each home. Residents should keep dustbin outside their homes. Car owners should put waste in litter bags. Street plays on every weekend can exhort people to manage waste properly. The corporation should fix boards with instructions “Do not to litter here as it is your own city”. Strict punishment should be given to those, who litter. The local government authorities should hire agencies to collect garbage. Proper area should be earmarked for dumping garbage. Only public can assist in helping solve the problem of disposing of garbage in a proper manner.

Dr Mohd Saleem, ludhiana

Problem not restricted to Ludhiana alone

Machhiwara is also plagued with the problem of garbage heaps, which dots every nook and corner of the town. Proper ban on plastic bags, disposable material like plates, glasses among other things can help solve the issue to some extent. The civic body can cover the dump area to prevent breeding of flies and mosquitoes’. Biodegradable waste can be turned into manure. Spraying of insecticides can keep away flies and help in maintaining cleanliness in the area surrounding the garbage dump. 

Major Singh, Machhiwara

Timings for door-to-door collection should be fixed

Littering of garbage is a never ending problem. Everything we use adds to waste. Only solution is its regular disposal.  Lifting of garbage should be listed in the essential services. If anybody dithers on his/her duty on lifting or disposal of waste then it should be taken seriously.  Timings should be fixed for garbage collection from door to door. Nobody can be allowed to litter garbage. Once collected, residents should keep waste in own dustbins for collection for the next day. Defaulters should be fined. Safai karmchari of the Municipal Corporation should also ensure clearance of garbage from the dumping site by a fixed time. It has been observed that cardboard, plastic, polythene, paper and iron scrap is collected from the garbage as it is a source of income for many. Stray animals and birds feed on waste. A wall should be constructed around dumps, where garbage can be scanned for material, which can be recycled and sold in the market.  The remaining garbage can be turned into manure, which further can be sold in the city and villages. Keeping garbage first in the residential area then lifting it to the dumping spot should be dispensed with.  It should be dumped directly outside the city limits.

KL Babbar, ludhiana

Encourage residents to use paper, cloth bags

We should favour ban on plastic bags, which was enforced in the city recently. As we all know that plastic is a non-degradable material and difficult to dispose of. We face problem of chocked sewerage due to polythene bags. Besides use of plastic bags is unhygienic and can spread disease. Those who are against the ban should tell how and where to dispose poly bags? Priority should be give to paper and cloth bags, which are more environment friendly and easy to recycle. It responsibility of every citizen to keep his/her surroundings safe and clean, but unfortunately we are not conscious. The authorities concerned should impose fines on those, who still sell or use plastic bags. The ban is only for the betterment and protection of the environment and society. Our coming generations will repent if we don’t wake up now and follow the practice of proper garbage disposal.

Deepali Arora, Ludhiana

Penalise authorised firm for not lifting waste

The most important step is to stop littering of garbage in the city, besides its immediate collection and right disposal. The contract for garbage collection in the city has been awarded to A to Z Company. The workforce deployed by the firm must collect garbage and transport it to the disposal site regularly, failing which the company must be penalised. Lifting of garbage is urgent especially during the rainy season or else it produces foul smell and can spread of diseases. Garbage dumping sites for the city are not only scarce, but also are not suitably located. The machinery needed for transporting garbage is not properly maintained. Also, the treatment plant is not fully functional, which delays proper disposal of the collected garbage. The general public must also be educated through special programmes to desist from littering in their surroundings and making sure that garbage reaches the dumping site. They must keep a strict watch on their sweepers. It is also duty of supervisors of the Municipal Corporation to ensure that garbage is collected and disposed of on time. Sanitary inspectors must also play their part. Poor collection and disposal of garbage reflects the city and the civic body in a bad light.

Dr G Dev, Kitchlu Nagar

OPEN HOUSE COMMENT

City fares poorly on the cleanliness front

Minna Zutshi

Ludhiana prides itself as the industrial hub of Punjab. Among the most modern cities with a high spending capacity, Ludhiana is a ‘Smart City’ in the making. 

  Unfortunately, the city fares poorly on the cleanliness front. Garbage dumps have become a permanent fixture on the cityscape. The civic authorities feign ignorance, even as the public goes on throwing garbage shamelessly wherever it is convenient. The people are blithely blasé about the issue of ‘swachhta’ in the city. 

 Youngsters have a penchant for adding to the piles of garbage dumps. After a glassful of cold drink or a plateful of snacks, the disposable glass/plate goes straight on the roadside. If there is no dump, they create one with their plastic junk.

The need of the hour is to create public awareness about health hazards of garbage dumps. The civic authorities need to wake up from their slumber and clean up the city. Certainly, Ludhiana with garbage dumps is a very ‘unsmart’ city!

OPEN HOUSE QUESTION

What steps can be taken to check adulteration in ‘mithai’ (sweets) during the festive season? [email protected]

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