The world generates 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste annually, with at least 33 per cent of that not managed in an environmentally safe manner. Figures show that India generates nearly 26,000 MT of plastic waste on a daily basis and 94 lakh tonnes of trash every year. Figures show that India generated 94 lakh tonnes of trash in the last year alone. India as a country is getting buried under mounds of garbage as it has been generating more than 1.50 lakh metric tonnes of solid waste every day and what's even more disheartening is that almost 90% of the total waste is collected waste. Nearly 15,000 MT of garbage remains exposed every day which results in almost 55 lakh MT of solid waste being disposed of in open areas each year, which leads to severe pollution. Of the total collected waste, only 20 per cent is processed and the remaining 80 per cent is dumped in landfill sites.
It is important to ensure that waste disposal takes place in a safe and systematic way. As data suggests, If we do not dispose of the waste in a systematic manner then more than 1400 sq. km of land which is the size of the city of Delhi would be required in the country by the year 2047 to dispose of it. To ensure that waste disposal is done on a proper day, we must segregate the waste on a daily basis. Segregation of waste is important as the amount of waste that is being generated is of concern to the environment. The easiest way to segregate waste is to put them into two categories, Biodegradable and Non-biodegradable. All households should separate their wastes into different categories for eg. wet waste, recyclable waste, non-recyclable waste etc. Waste can also be segregated into different bins- Red, Green and Blue. The red waste is for items that cannot be recycled, blue is for dry waste and green is for wet waste. The most important reason for segregating waste is to protect the environment from getting polluted and ensure a safe and healthy space for the people. If waste isn't disposed of properly, it can cause health hazards like respiratory problems due to air pollution, water pollution etc. it is also a cause of concern for animals and they may choke and die if they try to eat something out of the undisposed waste.
India as a country has laid out many schemes and policies to make it a cleaner and safer place for people. One of the most prominent and successful programmes regarding cleanliness in India is the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’. This was launched throughout the country as a national movement. It mainly focuses on improving the solid waste management system in urban and rural areas. Its primary goal is to make India open defecation-free through the construction of at least 12 crore toilets across rural and urban households. It's been recorded that open defecation had reduced by 26 percentage points in the four years since Swachh Bharat was launched, with access to household toilets shooting up from 37% in 2014 to 71% in 2018.
India has also taken up the ‘Smart Cities Mission’. It is a mission to develop smart cities across the country and make them citizen friendly and sustainable. In 100 smart cities which have been chosen by Central and State governments, IOT-based Sanitation including solid waste management is one of the key applications which is being planned. Waste disposal is being encouraged via smart apps which work with sensors in the bins, and waste pickup/ dumping trucks.
In some cities, we can see huge landfills that sometimes look like mountains made of garbage. In Delhi, one such dump has been converted into a park known as the ‘Millenium park’ which is an upcoming spot for picnics and leisure. This is an innovative way to make use of this space while also giving back to the environment.
Transformation is possible with sincere and consistent efforts from the government as well as the citizens. Surat is a very good example of the transformation from a dirty plague-hit to one of the cleanest cities in the country. The movement to clean up Surat began after it was struck by the plague in 1994. It started with systematic cleaning of the city. There were a number of innovative steps introduced to keep the city clean. Announced on 20th august,2020 the Swachh Survekshan has ranked Surat as the second cleanest city in India after Indore.
For our surroundings to be clean and hygienic, it is a collective responsibility that all the citizens of the country have to take. This is the minimum that we can do for our country and fellow human beings for ensuring their safety and health.
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