Garbage generation goes down due to lockdown

Pune: The garbage generation in the city dropped by 400 tonnes per day following the lockdown to tame the spread of coronavirus.

The solid waste management department attributed the plunge in trash generation to the closure of food joints and commercial establishments like shopping malls following the lockdown. The shutdown of restaurants has reduced the wet garbage, while the dry garbage generation has gone down because the offices are closed.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) figures reveal that on an average the city generates around 2,100 tonnes of garbage. It has come down to 1,600 tonnes following the lockdown. Nearly 180 tonnes of wet garbage have gone out of the collection system, while 240 tonnes of dry garbage and 80 tonnes of reject items have reduced.

Dnyaneshwar Molak, the head of the PMC’s solid waste management department, said, “A sizeable reduction in trash generation has been seen off late. Both dry and wet garbage generation has gone down. Even the garbage reject has reduced.”

After the imposition of the lockdown, many waste-pickers could not pick up garbage because of police restrictions on the movement of residents. Also, many housing societies are not cooperating with the waste-pickers, affecting the garbage collection.

“Police have not allowed waste-pickers to leave their houses and go for door-to-door collection. It has adversely impacted the collection of garbage,” said Laxmi Narayanan of Solid Waste Collection and Handling (SWaCH) Collective.

Narayanan said the PMC commissioner and the city police commissioner had appealed to policemen to allow the conservancy staffers to do their job but not all policemen acted upon it. Many policemen were still preventing the conservancy staffers from venturing out, she said.

She said apart from the non-cooperation from the policemen, other issues, including non-availability of transport services, inability to use two-wheelers and lack of communication facilities, had also caused obstacles for the SWaCH workers.

Molak said, “Now the problem is as good as resolved. We have spoken to police officers. They are now allowing these workers to travel and perform their duties.”

Pinky Sonawane, who works in Aundh, said, “A few housing societies and residents also told us not to collect waste till March 31, fearing infection. A few others told us to come only once in a few days.”

Some waste-pickers were afraid of collecting garbage from areas where people had been home quarantined, said a source.

HL: DISPOSAL OF SAFETY GEARS

All masks, gloves and other safety items used by citizens should be wrapped carefully in a newspaper and marked with a big RED DOT, before handing them over to waste-pickers

It will ensure that waste-pickers do not open/touch such items

RESIDENTS’ ROLE

Citizens should segregate wet, dry and sanitary waste

All citizens must try to compost their waste at source and reduce the growing pressure on the system

INCOME HIT

Waste-pickers are not paid employees of the Pune Municipal Corporation or SWaCH

They depend on monthly user fees from citizens and daily sale of recyclable material

Their income will take a hit because scrap markets are currently closed


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